<p>ABSTRACT BELIEFS AND KNOWLEDGE OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ABOUT GRADE RETENTION DEBRA HARO Grade retention long has been a controversial approach to supporting struggling students. The current study used a survey method to investigate the knowledge and beliefs of school psychologists and school counselors as to the efficacy of grade retention. In total 383 school psychologists and 108 school counselors participated in the survey which consisted of 20 Belief Statements and13 Knowledge questions. Results show that school psychologists? beliefs are more similar to research that has been done over the past several years than the beliefs of the school counselors in the current sample. The results of the Belief portion of the survey indicated that the school counselors in the sample favor retaining students for lack of maturity and poor attendance more than the school psychologists do, with the school psychologists? beliefs being more in line with research. Both groups agreed with the ideas that a student should only be retained once and students who are receiving support from a special education teacher should not be retained. On the Knowledge portion of the survey the school psychologists obtained an average of 67.644 and the average for the school counselors was 44.515, with a statistically significant difference between the means. This indicates that the school psychologists have a significantly higher amount of knowledge on the subject of grade retention. The school psychologists and school counselors were asked to identify their sources of knowledge in order to determine if they were practical or propositional. The school psychologists were fairly split on their responses, with 51 percent indicating that they had obtained their knowledge through a propositional source. The school counselors indicated that 84.3 percent had obtained their knowledge through practical means, which may explain the difference in beliefs and levels of knowledge.

<p> Principals and superintendents serving in four suburban school districts in Wisconsin experiencing significant increases in the numbers of students who identify as Hispanic or African American were studied to identify how these leaders were working to meet the needs of all learners in increasingly diverse public school contexts. This study aimed to answer three primary research questions: What resources, supports and strategies are employed by principals in suburban school districts experiencing significant demographic changes related specifically to increases in the number of students who identify as African American or Hispanic that helped them be successful in their roles? What do these school leaders need from their superintendents in order to successfully deliver on the promise of creating school environments within which all students succeed? How are superintendents in these suburban contexts increasing their competencies and supporting principals in proactively leading through racial demographic shifts in a society that has typically marginalized such groups of students? Leadership dispositions, knowledge, skills, and resources identified by building administrators necessary to successfully meet the challenge of actualizing success for all students are discussed and include growth mindset, a deep understanding of change management, a willingness to confront and disrupt, and a reliance upon peer collaboration. The superintendent/principal relationship is analyzed for relevance and impact on principal effectiveness and issues currently faced by district administrators serving in increasingly diverse suburban school districts are outlined. Results of this study illuminate opportunities for future research and implications on current practice in the field of educational administration.</p>

Student personnel workers need to understand the factors in educational and vocational career development in order to assist students in the selection of appropriate goals. This study was an attempt to identify the influence of social position, ability and personal preferences upon the plans of high school seniors.Three basic hypotheses were investigated to determine if subjects ordered according to plans, sex, ability and social position differed in their preferences as measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS). The sample consisted of 219 male and 174 female senior students from two high schools in an industrial metropolitan area in the Midwest. The subjects were classified by ability on the basis of their scores on the Otis Quick-Scoring Test of Mental Ability. A personal information form was developed and administered to obtain information relative to social position and after-high school plans. Social position classification was determined using the Hollingshead Two Factor Index of Social Position.Analysts of the data revealed that the plans of many students did not reflect full utilization of their potential ability. Proportionally more males than females expressed plans for college while relatively more females than males stated an intention to obtain short-term practical training or to pursue non-degree educational objectives in local colleges or university extension centers. While the size and nature of the sample partially obscured the differences, it was concluded that social position may have been a significant factor in the planning of the males but not for the females.For both males and females, analyses of variance results indicated that the EPPS variables of Achievement, Exhibition and Intraception distinguished those subjects who planned training or education beyond high school from those subjects with other plans. High ability males who were non-college bound tended to score low on the EPPS Abasement and Nurturance scales and high on the Endurance scale while their female counterparts obtained low scores on the Achievement scale and high scores on the Succorance scale.Students of both sexes whose plans were commensurate with their ability seemed ambitious, confident and intraceptive. Males whose plans did not reflect their ability tended to manifest an independent and emotionally defensive attitude toward life typified by a willingness to work dogmatically toward the completion of their objectives. Un-aspiring but able females were characterized by a lack of achievement motives and by a need for support, both emotional and material, probably resulting in a desire for early marriage. The data further suggested that such males and females tended to be concerned about the success of their social relationships.While the study was not designed for the purpose of validating any of the constructs measured by the EPPS, the results rationally gave support to the descriptions afforded several of the constructs. Although the EPPS has been reported to be of limited value in the traditionally-conceived predictive studies concerning achievement, college admission, etc., the instrument showed promise in identifying students whose plans do not reflect their full potential as a result of lack of information, social discomfort and inadequate or distorted self concept. Thus, the EPPS, cautiously used, may be a useful tool for the guidance worker or counselor in his efforts to help students Plan post high school objectives.

This study compared the findings from the literature review in the area of schools as professional learning communities, using specifically Toole and Louis’ (2002) definition of a professional learning community, with the perceptions of twelve Manitoba school principals of the normative imperative to develop their schools as professional learning communities and their perceptions of the reality of administrative practice. Toole and Louis propose that a professional learning community is a concept composed of three interdependent domains, namely a school culture that emphasizes professionalism is client centered and knowledge based, additionally it emphasizes learning by placing a high value on teacher inquiry and reflection, and finally it is communitarian insofar as it emphasizes personal connections. Furthermore, this definition is built on the notion that there are preconditions, structural supports and human and social resources, necessary for professional learning communities. Grounded theory served as both the theoretical structure and research design to gain an understanding of principals’ thinking (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). principals participated in this study in two focus groups (six principals in each focus group), and twelve interviews. Each focus group and interview was transcribed, and content analysis was employed to identify commonalities and differences in the data (Gall, Gall & Borg, 2003). Using open, axial, and selective coding eight themes were identified based on the responses to the research questions (Johnson & Christensen, 2004; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). This study revealed some consistency between the information cited in the literature, with specific focus on Toole and Louis’ (2002) definition, and principals’ perceptions of their schools as professional learning communities. The participants perceived of a professional learning community as being comprised of three interdependent domains, which are professional, learning and community, and as requiring necessary structural supports and human and social resources as preconditions. They identified time, teacher empowerment, interconnected teacher roles, school plans and institutional identity as structural supports. They also viewed trust and respect, and supportive principal leadership as human and social resource preconditions for schools striving to become professional learning communities. The study revealed conflict between the beliefs of the principals and conceptions of professional learning communities as theoretically constructed in the literature. The participants perceived that while a professional learning community is multidimensional, its effectiveness is not necessarily tied to measures of student achievement. There appeared to be few differences between the participants’ perceptions when separated by gender, school type (public or private) and school size (small, medium or large). The participants appeared to have limited notions of professional learning communities and as a result it is hard to make a case that professional learning communities exist in these schools. Additionally, they saw the duty to evaluate teachers as fostering the development of a professional learning community. Finally, while professional learning communities may hold the best promise for sustaining school improvement efforts (Hord, 2004), the efforts associated with nurturing one will lack results if principals do not possess the clarity of what is required for a school to become a professional learning community.

<p>After seventeen years since the apartheid education system was abolished in Namibia, the education system remains stagnant. The governmenthas been spending big budgets on Education. The Ministry of Education introduced various educational ploicies and innovations aimed to change the Education system. Yet, the quality of education remains poor. Although there are seemingly various reasons why the quality of education system is poor, education policies are not implemented effectively to bring about the desired quality of education and the desired quality of educationand continuous improvement of schools. There is a lack of commitment and culture of learning, which are said to be the preconditions for educational change. And practitioners seem to lack the urgency required to implement policies. Notwithstanding this, there seem to be another reason why policies are not iplementedeffectively in schools. This research study argues thatprofessional preparation of principals to implement educational policies is done intensively and rigorously. Hence, such professional preparedness of the school leaders is noot impacting effectively on their leaadership and management in schools.</p>

Thesis (MEd)--University of South Australia, 1997

This study focused on exploring professional doctorate candidates' and recent graduates' perceptions of their doctoral supervision experience. Candidates from across the United States, in various academic disciplines, were surveyed and 255 total responses were gathered. The literature search focused on doctorate supervisory practices, doctoral supervisors' characteristics, and unique differences of academic disciplines. This was a mixed-methods study. The data were analyzed by quantitative and qualitative analysis. Quantitative data was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (chi square test and Kruskal-Wallis test). Qualitative responses were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Respondents identified the most important competencies of a doctoral supervisor as having good communication skills and to understand the doctoral process. The most important ways of supervision were indicated to be honest dialogue and relationship of trust. Five emerging themes developed from the qualitative analysis, including engagement and commitment from supervisor, feedback, emotional support, supervisor experience and expertise, and supervision structure. The results demonstrate the importance of communication and relationship development between supervisor and candidate, as well as setting clear expectations for supervisors to take for an individualized approach to supervision. This study identified the following opportunities that professional doctorate programs and supervisors could focus their efforts on: providing or attending supervisory training and approach supervision with a planned framework, facilitate a coaching and mentorship relationship with advisees, and set clear expectations that are reiterated throughout the entire duration of the doctoral experience.

Thesis (B.A. (Hons.))--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Politics, 1970.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2008. / Vita: p. 137. Thesis director: Priscilla Norton. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 8, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-136). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Clark University, 1916. / "Reprinted from the American journal of psychology, April, 1921, vol. XXXII." "From the Psychological laboratory of Clark University."