No description available.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / The purpose or this study is: 1. To discover and analyze the strengths in silent and oral reading in the intermediate grades. 2. To discover and analyze the needs that are apparent ia silent and oral reading in the intermediate grades. The writer has found during his experience that pupils in the intermediate grades have many reading difficulties. In numerous instances many teachers have had mixed opinions as to the cause for this situation. This has served as a challenge to the writer to make further investigation into the possible cause and solutions.

Baltimore is notorious for its recent and storied history of crime. The current study examines the treatment of homicide victims in Baltimore newspapers. In 2010, 222 homicides occurred in Baltimore, according to the city‟s homicide map. One hundred and sixty-five were discussed in The Baltimore Sun, the city‟s most-circulated paper. Based on the inclusion or exclusion of particular cases and the manner in which cases were discussed, conclusions can be drawn about the media‟s perception of a case‟s newsworthiness. Specifically, cases with particular details that varied significantly from a “normal” homicide were found to be most newsworthy, determined in part by analyzing the frequency of reporting, placement of coverage within the newspaper, and word count allocated to the discussion of crime.

The purpose of this study was to determine staff attitudes and preferences toward outcomes assessment in Maryland's public, undergraduate institutions. The data were collected in Fall, 1989. Over 400 chief academic officers, division chairs, and faculty from 26 two- and four-year institutions were surveyed. An analysis of the data indicated the following: (1) That four-year faculty and administrators were less positive than two-year staff about the value and feasibility of outcomes assessment. (2) That, although there is not active opposition among either institutions' faculty and staff to the value of assessment, there was considerable lack of knowledge and suspicion of the program. Means of the responses to questions dealing with value were on the positive side of 3.0 on a five-point scale. (3) However, faculty and staff in both types of institutions were even less sanguine about the feasibility of assessment; the means were near or below 3.09 for most groups. (4) There was general agreement about those indicators which should be assessed; in general faculty and administrators agreed that the most important measures were employer satisfaction and transfer success. (5) Staff in both types of institutions did not like "rising-junior examinations" or "graduate earnings." (6) There was overwhelming agreement that results of assessment should be used to improve curricula and instruction. (7) However, only 57 percent though that assessment would improve instruction--supposedly the major reason for its imposition. These results and others suggest that faculty and staff are relatively neutral about the idea of outcomes assessment. One gets the sense when viewing the statistical information derived from 76 questions and from volunteered comments that the major concerns rest with the methods of implementation and use of the data. Much of what faculty and staff would like to have assessed are already measured by many colleges. The data also suggest that faculty need to become actively involved in what is likely to be an expensive program in terms of dollars and time. The study includes a set of recommendations for state and institutional activities to increase faculty involvement and for case study research. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to collect information to measure the perceptions of superintendents and principals about the extent to which they: (1) were aware, (2) were supportive, and (3) have implemented the National Education Goals and Maryland's Schools for Success Goals. In addition, the study examined (1) level of implementation and (2) adequacy of funding for the National and Maryland Goals. Superintendents and principals from Maryland's 23 counties and the Baltimore City school district comprised the population in this study. A questionnaire was designed and administered by the researcher to gather data on education awareness, attitudes and involvement of the National and State Goals. It also gathered data about administrators t experience, size of school, school district, race and gender. A process was described in which the researcher designed and pilot tested a survey questionnaire. The revised questionnaire was used in a survey of 635 Maryland public school principals and 24 superintendents. Of the 635 surveys sent to principals, 443 or 70% were returned and processed. For superintendents, the return rate was 67% (16 of 24). Superintendents and principals responded to five questions for each of the six national goals and ten Maryland goals. The five questions assessed awareness of the goals on the part of the respondents, the extent to which they supported the goal, the extent to which the goal was currently being implemented, the extent of their personal commitment to implementing the goal and whether adequate funding support for the goal was being supplied. For each of the 16 goals, respondents rated their agreement-disagreement on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical measures included ANOVA, F-test and t-test. The results indicated that there were a number of important statistically significant differences between the groups studied. Superintendents and principals differed significantly on level of awareness of the National and Maryland Goals. Superintendents were more informed. Elementary and secondary principals differed significantly on commitment to implementing the goals, secondary principals being more committed. There were statistically significant differences between urban, rural and suburban principals in implementation of Maryland Goals, with suburban principals being more advanced in commitment. Suburban schools were also more in agreement than were rural or urban schools in the area of financial support of Maryland Goals. School size reflected statistically significant differences concerning financial support. Smaller schools were more satisfied than larger ones. Similar differences were found on the basis of race of principal; African-American principals were more content with the level of support of National and Maryland Goals than were Caucasian principals. The results indicated that questions of awareness, support, degree of implementation, and personal commitment for the National goals correlated significantly with the corresponding Maryland goals. The process and instrument proved to be effective in gathering data related to the research questions. / Ed. D.

Effective supervision can improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. Researchers in educational theory agree that supervision exists for the primary purpose of improving instruction. Wiles defined supervision as "assistance in the development of better teaching-learning situations." There is a pressing need in our school system to decide what to teach and how to teach it. along with the increase of possible content material there is the tremendous growth in number and type of technological tools and media. Excessive demands are made on school staff. Supervisors are destined to play an essential role in deciding the nature and content of curriculum, in coordinating programs, in facilitating learning, fostering teacher progress, and selecting the school organizational patterns which will facilitate improved instructional programs. The professional literature of the past two decades is full of the theory of modern supervision. Terms such as democratic, team effort, mentor system, peer coaching, teacher-decision-making, and effective schools are lavishly used to show that the autocracy of the early twentieth century supervisor is no more. It is apparent from a review of the literature that some theorists have strayed rather far from a workable concept of school supervision. Many supervisors are verbalizing various styles and terms while practicing either authoritarian control or the manipulation of staff to achieve their own goals. This study is an attempt to address the major principles and characteristics which undergird effective supervision. The study will report teachers and supervisors' opinions of what is, and what should be as per a large metropolitan area. / Ed. D.

The proposition that the design process for the redevelopment of urban communities is improved as a result of one person's skill in process mechanics is examined. The proposition is sustained on the basis of observations and analyses made over a three year period in a community development corporation. Knowledge is gained regarding the method by which one can develop process skill, the conditions under which that skill can be applied, and the "levels'' at which it operates. / Master of Architecture

Thesis (Ed. D.)--George Washington University, [1985?]. / Abstracted in DAI-A 46/06, p. 1579, Dec 1985. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-260).

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Columbia University. / "Bibliography of works consulted": p. 487-502.