<p> There will be challenges resulting from the goals of the completion agenda (Lee &amp; Rawls, 2010), underrepresentation of low socioeconomic status (SES) students at highly selective colleges (Carnevale &amp; Rose, 2003), and relationship between institution type and social mobility (Haveman &amp; Smeeding, 2006). If rates of access and success for low SES students are not improved then the economic intentions behind the completion agenda may be compromised. This study measured the impact of SES and academic preparedness on academic outcomes at a highly selective, private, research university. Academic outcome data consisted of grade point average (GPA) and completed units after the first and fourth year, persistence to the second year, and graduation after the fourth year for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 freshmen cohorts. A composite score of high school GPA and test scores was used to determine the academic preparedness of students and the variable was statistically significantly for all academic outcomes measured. The comparison of students of similar academic preparedness revealed SES was statistically significant for GPA after the first and fourth year, first year units completed, and four year graduation. When further examining the effectiveness of a student support program, the results were inconclusive. Although the potentially at-risk students required to participate in the program achieved similar outcomes when compared to non-participants of similar SES and academic preparedness, the support program did not minimize the effects of SES. The findings of this study further advance previous research pointing to the challenges faced by low SES students in the areas of acceptance, belonging, and capital in higher education. The identification of potential best practices to respond to this will require future research examining the impact of SES at other universities, especially when academic preparedness is factored.</p>

<p> Can a first-line supervisor improve worker performance? First-line supervisors at a facility of a manufacturing company volunteered to learn performance improvement principles and be coached in applying those principles in order to solve performance problems in the workplace. The researcher continued coaching and evaluating the performance of the first-line supervisors as the volunteers utilized action research methodology to improve worker performance. While solving performance problems, the volunteers used a job aid specifically designed to guide the first-line supervisor in solving performance problems, improving the job aid as a result of usage. Each of the first-line supervisors, prior to volunteering, had some experience as a supervisor, ranging from one year to 20 years, but had not been prepared to be a supervisor prior to assuming the position and had not been trained in performance improvement after becoming a supervisor. In solving each performance problem, the first-line supervisor analyzed performance of a worker or group of workers to determine the performance gap for the problem, identified the cause of the problem, chose an intervention to improve performance, implemented the intervention, and evaluated all of the actions taken to determine if further action was needed to improve performance. Some performance problems were solved with one intervention and others required multiple interventions to find the most effective intervention to solve the problem. Each first-line supervisor used the job aid to guide, as well as document, actions taken to solve performance problems. Each first-line supervisor also contributed to improvement in the job aid resulting from usage. Findings resulting from observation, interview, and the comments of the volunteer first-line supervisors were that: (a) learning was transferred to application by actually solving performance problems, (b) the job aid was useful in guiding first-line supervisors in solving problems, and (c) action research, in addition to being easily understood by the supervisors, facilitated the solution of problems by providing a framework for action in solving performance problems. Further research is needed in applying the action research methodology in other organizations with a larger sample of first-line supervisors, in different locations, with different missions and goals.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to use a single subject research design to examine the effects of immediate feedback and delayed feedback within the Math to Mastery Intervention Package. The participants were 6 elementary school students who were performing approximately 1 year below grade level in math. A combined simple phase change design was used for the study. 3 of the students experienced the design in the A/B/A/C order, while the other 3 students experienced the design in a reversed order for B and C. During this study, 'A' represented the baseline phase and the return to baseline phase, 'B' represented the immediate feedback intervention phase, and 'C' represented the delayed feedback intervention phase. Each feedback phase was implemented separately for up to 4 weeks for each student. The final phase of intervention for each student included use of the most effective intervention condition after the student was exposed to both intervention feedback conditions. 2 weeks after the best intervention, follow-ups were conducted to determine if the students were able to maintain the skills that they were taught during the intervention. Results revealed that both intervention conditions were successful for addressing deficits in math academic performance. Improvement was seen for all 6 students with increases in digits correct per minute on single skill math worksheets, single skill math progress worksheets, and multiple skill math progress worksheets. Implications for school leadership within school settings are provided.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine how pastors of autonomous church congregations of 1,000 members or more describe the impact of biblical principles on their leadership in the areas of visionary leadership, communication, problem solving and decision making, personal/interpersonal skills, character/integrity, collaboration, creativity and sustained innovation, diversity, team building, and political intelligence. In this study, qualitative research methods that included interviewing pastors were used. Interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed, analyzed, and coded for the purposes of comparison to the Transformational Leadership Skills Inventory (TLSi). The study produced data that showed alignment to pastor leadership traits and transformational leadership skills as measured by the TLSi. Results from the study can be used for training and curriculum in transformational leadership for pastors, as a tool for selecting and monitoring pastors, and to create church action plans that align to transformational leadership principles. </p>

<p> Professional development is an essential tool for supporting and improving the work of teaching in our schools. The current study sought to understand which elements of professional development teachers perceive to be most important, and what specific characteristics about professional development influence their willingness to make changes in their professional practices. Q-Methodology was utilized to investigate the subjective opinions of public school teachers at one selected high school in North Carolina. Data analysis indicated four statistically significant factors: Individual Teacher Needs; Student and Teacher Learning; Collaboration; Supportive Structures and Environment. In addition, data emerged explaining how teachers view effective professional development and what it is about that professional development that encourages them to make changes in their teaching pedagogy. The findings from the study provide vital information about effective professional development for teachers, and also offer useful information to educational professionals, policy makers, and researchers about an important topic.</p>

<p> Principal leadership is crucial to improving school effectiveness and positively affecting organizational culture in the midst of expectations from education reform mandates. Principals who provide direction and exercise influence can inspire commitment from organizational members to attain shared goals. Rural school principals face unique obstacles and situations as documented in the research and literature. This qualitative research study aimed to provide insight as to the perceived impact of transformational leadership behaviors and characteristics on organizational culture. This study also provided insight as to the transformational leadership behaviors and characteristics perceived to positively affect organizational culture. The protocols, which included interviews, were administered by the researcher to principals and certificated teachers at four rural elementary schools (two elementary schools not in Program Improvement [PI] and two elementary schools in PI) in Fresno County that met specific student demographic criteria. The data from the interviews provided insight regarding increased individual and collective stress in rural elementary schools due to the unprecedented expectations of NCLB. The organizational response to this increased stress was found to be contingent on the behaviors and characteristics by the rural elementary principal. The findings indicated a difference in perceptions between certificated teachers at the rural elementary schools not in PI and in PI. The rural principals in non-PI schools utilized communication to define clear expectation, and a collaborative decision making process to develop a shared vision which cultivated trust among certificated teachers to improve organizational culture and student academic achievement. The rural principals in PI schools were found to have utilized bureaucratic leadership approaches. The bureaucratic leadership approaches led to increased stress and frustration among certificated teachers. Frustration was found to have negatively affected organizational culture and no improvement in student academic achievement. This study validated the need for rural school principals to be aware of effective leadership approaches to positively affect organizational culture.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if a commercial teacher selection tool, the Ventures for Excellence Teacher StyleProfile, had a statistically significant relationship with teacher evaluation and performance feedback data gathered during a teacher's first year of teaching in the Midwest School District. A review of the literature confirmed the importance of teacher selection. School improvement initiatives have verified the need to improve the process of teacher selection as a critical variable in the improvement of instruction and student performance. These initiatives have fostered the exploration of utilizing commercial assessment tools to objectify and improve the hiring process. </p><p> The online Teacher StyleProfile yields a teacher-centered score and a studentcentered score. The researcher anticipated that prospective teachers with a higher student-centered score would receive superior evaluations and performance feedback. The 60 hypotheses in this study tested the relationship of the teacher-centered score and the student-centered score in relation to evaluation and performance feedback data collected during a teacher's first year teaching in the Midwest School District. The site of the study was a school district located in the Midwest that serves approximately 5,800 students. A random sample of 45 elementary and 45 secondary teachers were selected from a population of 64 elementary and 72 secondary teachers employed between FY'08 and FY'13. The study was quantitative utilizing the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. </p><p> An analysis of the 60 hypotheses revealed one medium statistically significant correlation between the student-centered score of the Teacher StyleProfile and the classroom management portion of the teacher evaluation at the secondary level. An important finding of the study related to the teacher evaluation data revealed that the principals in the Midwest School District frequently rated teachers highly inferring little differentiation in performance. The literature indicated that this is a common occurrence with teacher evaluations. These findings merit further study along with a continued focus on applying quantitative measures to the evaluation of teacher selection tools and evaluation processes.</p>

Thesis (PH.D)--University of Toronto, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p> This qualitative, phenomenological study explored Sexual Health Education (SHE) through the lens of 11 public school teachers who formally taught sex education. It explored the levels of comfort and barriers that educators possessed when they communicated SHE to adolescents. One community within the State of Indiana was examined. Eleven 7-12^th grade educators among three school districts shared their beliefs, values, and feelings regarding SHE instruction and levels of sexuality comfort. As a result, the concept of sexuality comfort was reconstructed, and three findings emerged from the data that can contribute to further research in the fields of education, communication, and health. They include: (1) An inclusive sexual health education program can provide educators with more sexuality comfort, (2) Teacher training and instructional materials relate to an educator&rsquo;s sexuality comfort level and willingness to communicate SHE, and (3) An educator&rsquo;s level of sexuality comfort will likely increase if engaged in SHE decision-making policies.</p><p>

<p> This case study explored the viability of using a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol within a novice teacher induction program to facilitate dialogue about equity in a diversifying suburban school setting. The study included two research questions: How do novice teachers in a suburban school district with shifting demographic diversity make sense of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities? How does an equity-focused community of practice using a dialogue protocol affect novice teachers&rsquo; praxis through their understanding of how to address issues of student equity in their instructional practice? Even in a high performing suburban school, novice teachers had significant dilemmas of equity in their classes. Consequently, the novice teachers did not feel suitably trained or capable of providing the range of differentiation necessary to equitably meet the needs of their students. Thus, the novice teachers admitted to teaching by subjective intuition and asking for guidance from colleagues. The effects of adding the dialogue protocol included both an improved sense of trust among participants and of personal efficacy among the novice teachers. Questions posed during the dialogue protocol challenged the novice teachers&rsquo; personal biases, ethics, and decisions. Overall, the dialogue sessions created a space to help each of the novice teachers understand their options, responsibilities, and resources to improve their instructional praxis. This study recommends future research be conducted about the longitudinal impact of implementing a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol into the California induction credentialing process. This includes research into how to train mentors to facilitate group dialogue sessions, and collect and analyze student outcomes data.</p><p>