External Studies has been in operation at Goulburn College of Advanced Education for ten years (1970 - 1980). During this time nearly 1,800 students have been involved in the external programmes. Over half of these students have not completed their studies. This field-study is an attempt to document the actual drop-out rates for the various programmes and to compare the results obtained with statistics available from other tertiary institutions in Australia and overseas. Factors such as student age and sex as related to achievement and time of withdrawal are investigated. The statistics are largely drawn from student files and a questionnaire distributed to a sample of external students. The main thrust of the study is to ascertain the reasons for student withdrawal in an attempt to reduce the attrition rates in the future. Drop-out was found to be the result of a number of contributing factors rather than deriving from any particular reason. The field-study shows that drop-out rates at Goulburn are somewhat similar to those experienced by other tertiary institutions, but that the attrition rate during the first semester of study is excessive.

In the United States, students must pass Algebra I to graduate from high school. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the instructional practices of teachers and leadership supports in rural secondary schools with a high pass rate among African American and Latino students in Algebra I. This study was used to determine the instructional and leadership supports that influenced three high schools with a high pass rate in Algebra I for minority students for 3-years consecutively, based on Virginia Standards of Learning. This study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that teachers influenced the high academic performances of minority students through relationships, praise, and support while they employed effective teaching practices and consistently utilized teaching resources. Also, teachers provided sufficient time for practice, modeling, scaffolds, guided notes, and remediation using their personal experiences to serve the needs of minority groups. Teachers established relationships, built relatable lesson plans, and set high expectations continually. School leaders, who supported student success by providing autonomy to teachers, created plans and utilized approaches to meet the needs of struggling students. The implications of this study were that school leaders should institute a strong culture promoting strong relationships between teachers and students, provide mathematics teachers with professional development, give teachers time and space for meaningful collaboration, and consider teachers' skills when assigning a mathematics course. / Doctor of Education / Algebra I is a required course that students must pass in the Commonwealth of Virginia to graduate from high school. Teachers influenced the high academic performance of minority students through relationships, personal experiences, effective teaching practices, and resources. Although school leaders provide support, they must also provide professional development and allow teachers time for collaboration. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions of math teachers in rural secondary schools with a high pass rate among African American and Latino students in Algebra I regarding their instructional practices and school leadership supports. This study was conducted in three high schools within three different rural divisions and in two different regions within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This study generated six findings and four implications.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-05-11T15:42:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 vagnodossantosramos.pdf: 1265392 bytes, checksum: bcbde1fce37c1a25fc18362fa6e6ef15 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-05-17T15:17:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 vagnodossantosramos.pdf: 1265392 bytes, checksum: bcbde1fce37c1a25fc18362fa6e6ef15 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-17T15:17:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 vagnodossantosramos.pdf: 1265392 bytes, checksum: bcbde1fce37c1a25fc18362fa6e6ef15 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-19 / O caso de gestão estudado analisa a implementação do Programa de Correção de Fluxo Escolar - Projeto Avançar (PA) em uma escola estadual localizada no município de Manaus, vinculada à Secretaria Estadual de Educação (SEDUC/AM) e acompanhada pela Coordenadoria Distrital 02. Os objetivos definidos para esta investigação buscam verificar as dificuldades da equipe gestora em reduzir os índices de abandono nas turmas do PA. Para isso, utilizou-se a pesquisa qualitativa, por meio de um estudo de caso. Além da análise documental, foram usados como instrumentos de coleta de dados um questionário para 16 alunos do projeto e uma entrevista semiestruturada com a gestora, a pedagoga da escola, a supervisora do distrito que acompanha o projeto na escola e nove professores que atuam no PA. No referencial, foi abordado o Projeto Avançar enquanto política de enfrentamento ao fracasso escolar e também as causas e consequências do abandono escolar. A discussão dos resultados levou em consideração a visão dos diversos atores que participam do Projeto. A análise dos dados permitiu a identificação de alguns avanços e algumas dificuldades no processo de implementação do PA como ausência de capacitação para gestores, pedagogos e professores para atuar com maior efetividade nas ações do projeto; dificuldade dos docentes no trabalho com projetos interdisciplinares; ausência de reuniões para discutir as dificuldades de realização do PA; infrequência e apatia dos alunos; e ausência da família no acompanhamento escolar do filho. Com base nos resultados dessa análise, foi elaborado um Plano de Ação Educacional com propostas que ajudarão a equipe gestora a desenvolver as ações do Projeto Avançar de forma adequada na escola, a fim de que os objetivos sejam alcançados. / The management case under study deals with the implementation of the Program for the Correction of Fluxo Escolar - Projeto Avançar (PA) at a state school in the city of Manaus, tied to the State Secretaria of Education (SEDUC/AM) and overseen by the 2nd District Coordenadoria. The goals set for this investigation check team's difficulties in reducing drop out rates in the classes within the PA. For this, was used a qualitative research, through a case study. Besides analysis of documents, were used as instruments of data collection a questionnaire for 16 students within the project and a semi-structured interview with the manager, the school pedagogue, the district supervisor that oversees the project at the school and nine teachers who work with the PA. In the referencial, the PA was discussed as a policy to face school failure and also the causes and consequences of dropping out. The discussion of the results took into account the point of view of the several actors that participated in the project. Analysis of the data made it possible to identify some advances and some difficulties regarding the PA's implementation process as a lack of training for managers, pedagogues and teachers to more effectively perform the actions of the project; teachers' difficulty in working with interdisciplinary projects; lack of meetings to discuss the difficulties in carrying out the PA; infrequent attendance and apathy from the students; and families failing to monitor their children's performance at school. With the results of this analysis, a Plano de Ação Educacional was created containing proposals that will help the managing team to adequately develop the actions of the PA at school, in order to achieve the goals.

Thesis (PhD (Education )--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / 352 leaves, preliminary pages xxiii and numbered pages 1-329. Includes bibliography and a list of figures. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African school system is increasingly producing students who do not make the grade in higher education. Universities are concerned about the quality of the students who register as first-years at higher education institutions. The findings of various studies have clearly shown that more and more students are inadequately prepared and therefore not ready for higher education. In South Africa the problems resulting from the gap between school and university have been exacerbated by the inequalities that exist in the secondary school system, and which are still part of the legacy of apartheid. Within the context of learners’increasing unpreparedness for university studies, their difficult transition from school to university and the concomitant high drop-out figures in higher education, this study investigated the extent to which universities – with Stellenbosch University as a case in point – can contribute towards preparing students for university studies from as early as school level, and thus facilitate their transition from school to university. Taking this research question into account, the researcher investigated the extent to which specific variables played a part both in the pre-university phase and after admission. In addition, the study also focused on the extent to which students’ school background (previously disadvantaged privileged school) influences students’ preparedness, and to what extent academic standards (amongst others final examination results)are related to success in the first year at university. The research design was a case study of black newcomer first-year students who participated in a Stellenbosch University bursary project (the Merit Bursary project) in their Grade 12 year. The data generation consisted of two phases, namely a quantitative approach in the pre-university phase and a qualitative approach, after admission, in the transitional phase. The research findings have revealed that the inequalities in the South African schooling system influence the transition from school to university. The classification of schools (previously disadvantaged or privileged school) plays a crucial role in students’ preparedness and how they handle the transition from school to university. There are various academic, social, emotional, cultural and financial factors that impact on this transition. However, the factors are interdependent – no one factor can be regarded as being more important than another. Universities must adopt a holistic approach to the transition that newcomer students are required to make. It was concluded in the study that universities have a responsibility to ensure that the diminishing pool of potential students in higher education be expanded. Universities should also ontribute towards preparing prospective students more effectively so that the transition process will be less challenging. It is believed that this will also improve the throughput rate. In this regard the study proposes a theoretical framework for a pre university intervention. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolstelsel lewer toenemend studente wat nie die mas in hoër onderwys opkom nie en universiteite is bekommerd oor die kwaliteit van die studente wat as eerstejaars aan hoëronderwysinstellings registreer. Uit die bevindinge van verskeie studies het dit geblyk dat studente toenemend nie voldoende voorbereid en gereed is vir hoër onderwys nie. In die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word die gaping tussen skool en universiteit vergroot deur ongelykhede in die sekondêre skoolstelsel as gevolg van die land se apartheidsgeskiedenis. In die konteks van leerders se toenemende onvoorbereidheid vir universiteitstudie, die moeilike oorgang van skool na universiteit en die gepaardgaande hoe uitvalsyfers in hoër onderwys, het hierdie studie ondersoek ingestel na die mate waarin universiteite - met die Universiteit Stellenbosch as spesifieke geval - reeds op skoolvlak ’n rol kan speel om voornemende studente beter vir universiteitstudie voor te berei en sodoende die oorgang van skool na universiteit te vergemaklik. Met die navorsingsingsvraag in ag genome, het die navorser die mate waarin spesifieke veranderlikes ’n rol speel in die pre-universitêre fase asook die fase na toetrede tot universiteit, ondersoek. In samehang hiermee, het die studie ook gefokus op die invloed van skoolagtergrond (voorheen benadeelde of bevoorregte skole) op die voorbereidheid van studente en die mate waarin akademiese maatstawwe op skool (onder meer eindeksamenresultate) verband hou met sukses in die eerste universiteitsjaar. Die navorsingsontwerp was ’n gevallestudie van swart nuwelingeerstejaarstudente wat in hulle graad 12-jaar aan ’n beursprojek (die Verdienstelikheidsbeursprojek) van die Universiteit Stellenbosch deelgeneem het. Die data-generering het uit twee fases bestaan, naamlik ’n kwantitatiewe benadering in die pre-universitêre fase en ’n kwalitatiewe benadering na toetrede in die oorgangsfase. Die ondersoek het gevind dat die ongelykhede in die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolstelsel die oorgang van skool na universiteit beinvloed. Skoolklassifikasie (voorheen benadeelde of bevoorregte skole) speel ’n bepalende rol in die voorbereidheid van studente en ook in die wyse waarop studente die oorgang hanteer. Daar is ’n verskeidenheid akademiese, sosiale, emosionele, kulturele en finansiële faktore wat ’n rol speel in die oorgang van skool na universiteit. Die faktore is egter interafhanklik van aard – geen een kan uitgesonder word as belangriker as die ander nie. Universiteite moet die oorgang van nuwelingstudente holisties benader. Hierdie ondersoek kom verder tot die slotsom dat dit ook die verantwoordelikheid van universiteite is om te sorg dat die krimpende poel potensiele studente vir hoër onderwys vergroot en beter voorbereide studente toegelaat word om sodoende die oorgangsproses te vergemaklik en deurvloeikoerse te verhoog. In die lig hiervan stel die studie ’n teoretiese raamwerk vir ’n pre-universitêre intervensie voor.

The study focuses on management strategies of the highly impoverished secondary schools of the Mount Fletcher District in the Eastern Cape. Challenges facing the impoverished learners and managerial experiences of principals of these schools have been discussed in the study. A literature review provided a conceptual framework and covered definitions of poverty, school management strategies, leadership styles and qualities required for a successful principal heading a secondary school with impoverished learners. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted and data gathered by means of interviews with principals, Life Orientation teachers and parents. Finally a synopsis of findings and recommendations were made to assist the policy makers, Departmental officials, principals, teachers and parents in proper management of secondary schools in the poor rural communities. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The study focuses on management strategies of the highly impoverished secondary schools of the Mount Fletcher District in the Eastern Cape. Challenges facing the impoverished learners and managerial experiences of principals of these schools have been discussed in the study. A literature review provided a conceptual framework and covered definitions of poverty, school management strategies, leadership styles and qualities required for a successful principal heading a secondary school with impoverished learners. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted and data gathered by means of interviews with principals, Life Orientation teachers and parents. Finally a synopsis of findings and recommendations were made to assist the policy makers, Departmental officials, principals, teachers and parents in proper management of secondary schools in the poor rural communities. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)