Problem. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of elementary school teachers who had received intensive training in the Essential Elements of Instruction model, a teaching methodology composed of specific teacher behaviors. Teacher effectiveness was measured by analyzing student achievement results in reading. Procedure. Elementary teachers at specified grade levels in two selected school districts were divided into two groups: Group A, teachers who had received training in the Essential Elements of Instruction, and Group B, teachers who had not received this training. In School District I, a student population of approximately two hundred and twenty-five students was selected as the treatment group and a student population of approximately two hundred and ten students was selected as the control group. In School District II, a student population of approximately one hundred and forty-five students was selected as the treatment group and a student population of approximately one hundred and forty students was selected as the control group. The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test (Form A-E) was used as the post test measure of achievement for all students. This test was used to determine if a teacher's training in the Essential Elements of Instruction model would result in greater student achievement gains as measured by the selected reading test. Results. The analysis of variance treatment of the data indicated that there were significant differences between the reading scores of students whose teachers had received training in the Essential Elements of Instruction model and those students whose teachers did not receive this training. Thus, the data did allow for the rejection of null Hypothesis 1. The analysis of variance treatment of the data indicated that there were no interaction effects of teacher training and student reading achievement by the grade level of the student, the socioeconomic level of the student, or the interaction of student grade level and student socioeconomic level. Thus, the data did not allow for the rejection of null Hypothesis 2, null Hypothesis 3 and null Hypothesis 4.

M.Ed. / Several strategies have been mooted as means of improving teaching and learning in South African schools. The National Department of Education’s Foundations for Learning Campaign, launched in 2008 and the recent announced Schooling 2025 strategy are examples. In this research report I argue that the success of any school improvement plan aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning hinges on the extent to which teachers are able or willing to implement the measures required of them. I argue that changing the way teachers learn to teach by establishing communities of practice and working in collaborative groups in schools, offers a possible panacea. Therefore the aim of this study was to explore the experiences of teachers working in a Collaborative Teaching Strategy (CTS) aimed at improving teachers’ performance in the classroom. This qualitative research project was grounded in an interpretive paradigm and made use of semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group interview to generate data. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used to search for categories and sub-categories of meaning in the data. The findings indicate that while there are significant benefits for teachers working in collaborative groups, there are also several serious constraints. On the positive side, participants in the research experienced the mutual support and the sharing of ideas that emerged from collaborative interactions as affirmation of their expertise and knowledge. In addition, teachers viewed working in collaboration with others as a professional and personal development opportunity. Finding time to collaborate and the emergence of some resistance to collaborative work were identified as constraints. Some teachers felt their individuality and creativity to be restricted by collaborative work. Further, individual personalities impacted negatively on collaboration with tensions emerging between teachers as a result of differing personal experience, expertise, knowledge, authority and values, approaches and benefits about teaching and learning. This resulted in instances of pseudo-collaboration. Also misconceptions about what it means to collaborate about teaching created difficulties for some teachers. The main implication arising from the research project is that availability of time is critical to effective collaboration. In addition, detailed guidance in terms of how and what teachers should be doing during collaborative activities appears necessary. Next, due consideration should be accorded to personality types and working relationships so that collaborative partners and groups can be mindfully structured and provided with training to enable effective work in teams. Equitable workloads and equal access to teaching resources is essential. Finally, mutual respect for each other regardless of experience, expertise, position, belief or opinion is a prerequisite for successful collaboration about the various and varied tasks of teaching.

D.Ed. / The new millennium is considered to be a period of empowered social change, having profound implications for schooling. The transformation of education in present-day South Africa emphasises the need for quality education for all. This is necessary in order to be able to meet the challenges of the new millennium. Thus even the most competent educational institutions are forced to improve and change in order to keep up with worldwide innovations. As the poor matric results of the last decade indicate, it seems that schools' performance is not up to standard. It became increasingly clear that certain factors precipitated the pathological situation in schools and that assistance and interventions are required. The main focus of this study is to establish what schools can do in order to improve and become more effective. It is well known that schools in South Africa are facing a crisis. South Africa's education system is therefore compelled to find solutions against the idiosyncratic backdrop of the country's unique socio-economic and socio-political problems. In order to develop a world-class education system suitable of meeting the challenges of the 21' century, school improvement seems necessary. The problem investigated by this study was: How can schools improve with the help, advice and expertise of external agents, namely school consultants. In order to improve schools there must be various agents or participants who must be actively involved and play a part in any reform process. These role players have been identified as: the school principal, teachers, parents and learners. However, it became clear that the subjective involvement of these protagonists is not sufficient to contribute towards a significant educational improvement endeavour. The aim of this study is to analyse and describe how schools can improve through the expert advice and contribution of external school consultants. This aim was realised by: undertaking a theoretical investigation in the form of a literature study; undertaking an empirical, qualitative investigation in order to establish in what way the assistance of an objective advisor in the form of a consultant, can contribute to improving the intricate problems currently facing schools. During this qualitative investigation it was established that: South Africa has problems endemic to this country which precipitate pathology at school level; The main role players in schools are not sufficiently equipped to initiate change; External consultants as change and improvement agents are a solution suggested by international literature; If consultation is done in a professional, ethically correct manner it can indeed lead to school improvement.

Studiens syfte är att kartlägga attityder och mönster i uppfattningar om begreppen kvalitet, mätning och systematiskt kvalitetsarbete. Studien svarar på frågan vilka uppfattningar det finns hos nyckelpersoner i skolans utvecklingsarbetes runt begreppen kvalitet och mätning i förhållande till skolutveckling. Studien svarar också på om uppfattningarna kan leda till svårigheter eller problem utvecklingsarbetet att förbättra skolans kvalitet. Undersökningen är kvantitativ och har genomförts genom en webbenkät som riktades mot förstelärare och skolledare i grundskola och gymnasium. Studiens resultat visar mönster som har gemensamma drag med den utvecklingsform som benämns effektiva-skolor-modellen. Där ses mätvärden som viktiga och med dem som utgångspunkt söker man en ”best practice” som är generaliserbar för skolan. Studien visar också mönster som överensstämmer med skolutvecklingsmodellen där bedömningar av utbildningens kvalitet har fler utgångpunkter än mätvärden. I samma mönster finns upp-fattningar som värdesätter kollegiets betydelse för utveckling och överensstämmer med en verksamhetsinriktad skola.    Studien pekar på problem med att skolor drivs av mätfokus och lägger stor del av sin tid och energi på processer som tar resurser från kärnverksamheten. Andra problem är upplevda svårigheter i att bedöma utbildningens kvalitet samt upplevda svårigheter att få analysen att generera förbättringar av utbildningens kvalitet. Samma mönster visar och att mätning väger tyngst och är viktigast i utvärderingsarbetet. Resultaten kan användas för långsiktiga strategier runt kompetensutveckling samt för att hantera svårigheter i det systematiska kvalitetsarbetet. / The study aims to identify attitudes and patterns of perceptions concerning the concepts of quality and measurement. The study investigates the question of what the perceptions are of key functions in the school's development process, relating to concepts of quality and measurement in relation to school improvement. The study also answers about perceptions that can lead to difficulties or problems in the work of improving school quality. The study is quantitative and has been implemented through a web survey sent to teachers in career program and school-leaders in primary and secondary education. The study results show patterns that have features in common with the development of the form called effective-schools-model. Based on grades as the most dignified values, researchers and schools strive to find a "best practice" that is generalizable. The study also shows patterns consistent with models on development in schools, in which assessments of the quality of education have a better variety of information than the grade ratings. The same patterns are also perceptions that values ​​college collaboration to the development. The study indicates that the problem of the schools driven by focuses on measurement and puts much time and energy on documentation processes that take resources from the core of teaching. The study also demonstrates the problem through perceived difficulties in assessing the quality of education and to get the analysis to lead to improvements in the quality of education. At the same time the study shows that measuring grade ratings is the most important factor in the evaluation work. The results can be used for long-term strategies around skills development and to address difficulties in the systematic quality work.

The aim of the study is to analyse the role of democratic school governing bodies in promoting school improvement in four High Schools in Pimville and Klipspruit locations in Soweto. The study presents two arguments, one is theoretical and the other is methodological. Theoretically, there is no clear-cut relationship between democratic SGBs and school improvement. Methodologically, the relationship between SGBs and school improvement can best be understood based on a critical analysis that specifies the context within which democratic SGBs promote school improvement. Such an analysis reveals the complex nature of the school dynamics within which SGBs have to promote school improvement. The role of SGBs is mediated by various local and global socio-economic and political factors. This study articulates these factors as inputs, context, complexity and mediation. Consequently, understanding the nature of the role of SGBs in promoting school improvement requires an elaboration of the specific articulation of these factors. Input factors important for school improvement include the school infrastructure, learning and teaching material, financial resources, quality of teachers and standards of teaching methodology as well as parental participation. The context and complexity factors indicate that school improvement efforts must appreciate the conceptual and historical contexts that shape the conception and practice of school improvement. SGBs emerge out of a particular historical moment. SGBs have features of both apartheid school boards and committees and the people‘s education‘s PTSA‘s. These features render the role of SGBs precarious because it is framed within contradictory ideological discourses. Other context factors are relationships within the school, leadership and socio-economic factors. Finally, the role of SGBs is mediated by how school improvement is understood in these schools, by legislation and the complex nature of school dynamics. The study concludes that schools do not operate outside of a history of unequal provision of resources and SGBs do not exist independently of the incessant conflict among social forces. Schools operate within a social context. When narrowly focused within the school and in isolation from the historical legacy, school improvement initiatives reproduce and perfect the features that define their context.

The American Association of Colleges and Universities reports that over 50% of the students entering colleges and universities are academically under prepared; that is, according to Miller and Murray (2005), students "lack basic skills in at least one of the three fundamental areas of reading, writing, and mathematics". Furthermore, approximately 30% of the students in a state university undergraduate quantitative business course fail or withdraw from the course. The purpose of this study was to explore non-cognitive and cognitive factors that may be related to the academic success of those students enrolled in the course. To this end, a survey was conducted, collecting the perceptions and opinions of 301 undergraduate college of business students with regard to relevant constructs such as cognitive load, mathematics and general self-efficacy, math anxiety, and motivation. Additional data were collected from the students' transcripts. Findings revealed that the significant cognitive factors contributing to the academic success were the overall GPA of the students as well as the average of their grades in the two prerequisite courses. The statistically significant non-cognitive factors related to the final exam score were the students' perceived levels of cognitive load and mathematics self-efficacy. A moderating effect of mathematics self-efficacy was revealed between the final exam score and overall GPA; however, other selected potential moderators of the final exam score and cognitive load were not significant. Post-hoc analyses verified no significant difference in the final exam score for gender or race; however, a statistically significant difference was found on cognitive load for different instructors. The findings emphasized the importance of prior knowledge and instructional design as both are sensitive to cognitive load (Mayer & Moreno, 2003; Sweller, 1999). / The implications of the findings resulted in the recommendation that knowledge should be addressed through appropriate advising as well as pretests at the onset of the course. Finally, the course instructors should take into consideration various instructional design techniques to reduce cognitive load. Recommendations are made for future practice with a focus on inclusive pedagogical methodologies and further research directions with promising potential predictors. / by Mary M. Davis. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

This ethnographic study investigated teacher leadership and professional learning in a secondary mathematics department. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews, observations, and document analysis. It is the social aspect of the school environment and specifically, the subject department, which presents an opportunity for teachers to learn and share their expertise with one another in an informal setting and for teacher leaders to emerge using their expertise and close proximity to affect the learning of colleagues. Teachers were asked to share their thoughts on leadership and learning within their department. A narrative was written to give the reader a better understanding of the day-to-day practices, behaviors, and habits of the teachers in the department, creating a holistic picture of the culture studied. ... teacher leadership is experienced informally through teachers sharing and talking about their practice. Teacher leadership is also experienced outside the department when teachers have opportunities to lead school professional development seminars and to practice leadership through role modeling. Professional learning is experienced one-on-one, as well as formally and informally through colleagues and organized workshops. Implications for administrators, department and team leaders, and policy implementation are discussed. This study may contribute to the development of teacher leadership and professional learning, which ultimately may lead to improving student achievement. / by Christine Higgins. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

This quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted to investigate the link between school principal influence actions, climate, culture, and school performance. Additionally, this study sought to determine if the influence of these variables or the relationship among them is altered by individual and/or institutional characteristics. The first phase of the study was conducted to determine whether or not the Customer Survey aligned to distinct dimensions. Two factors were identified: Staff Attitudes and Student Disruptions. The second part used regression to examine the relationships among four constructs and test the seven hypotheses. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis advisor: Diana Pullin / The current high stakes testing environment has resulted in intense pressure on schools to become more data-driven. As a result, an increasing number of schools are implementing systems where teachers and school leaders collaboratively analyze assessment data and use the results to inform instructional practice. This study examined how teacher participation in the analysis of assessment data influences instructional outcomes. It also examined how levels of capacity in the areas of data use, professional learning, and leadership interact to influence the ability to respond to data. The method is a qualitative case study of an elementary school in the southeastern United States that has implemented formal structures for analyzing and collaborating around assessment data. Data collection occurred through teacher and administrator interviews, data analysis meeting observations, and through the examination of school and district documents. The school in this study responded to data analysis results through three major actions: large-scale initiatives designed to improve instruction in various content areas, remediation, and individual teacher variations in instructional practices. Findings show that while teachers express support for data analysis and suggest positive benefits for the school, they also indicate that participation in data analysis and the resultant improvement efforts have had minimal to modest impact on their teaching practices. Possibly contributing to this outcome was the finding that the school had uneven capacity in the areas of data use, professional learning, and leadership. The school has a well-developed system for data access and reporting. However, it has been less successful in providing the professional learning experiences that will enable more substantial changes in teacher beliefs and practices. Furthermore, a lack of clarity regarding the instructional purpose of data analysis from multiple levels of district and school leadership and the procedural nature of the data analysis process has reduced the ability of school leaders to effectively leverage data analysis for the purpose of substantive and sustained instructional improvement. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Improving student performance in America’s chronically underperforming schools has been a challenge for many decades. Despite various school reforms, little to no progress has been shown. Schools have continued to fail, and achievement gaps have widened. The current state of schools has called for a drastic intervention. School turnaround has emerged as the country’s response to improving persistently-low performing schools. This study was designed to determine if the turnaround models outlined in the federal school improvement grant (SIG) were effective in improving student performance in low-performing schools in Florida. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of the transformation and turnaround intervention models on student achievement. This study also sought to determine if size (school enrollment), socioeconomic status (FRL), minority enrollment rates (Black and Hispanic), as well as principal gender, race, and years of experience moderate the relationship between the intervention model used and student achievement. The ultimate objective was to determine if turnaround intervention models improved student performance in low-performing schools in Florida. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was employed to respond to three research questions and test nine corresponding null hypotheses. Florida’s 69 SIG Cohort I schools were identified for data collection and analysis. A t test analysis revealed there was not a significant difference in the performance of the transformation and turnaround model schools as measured by percent of points earned towards school grade. Further, chi square analysis revealed there was not a relationship between the model (transformation or turnaround) and school grade. Additionally, multiple regression analysis revealed none of the moderator variables were statistically significant. A discussion of the findings, implications for policy and practice, and recommendations for turnaround are explained in detailed, followed by suggestions for future research. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection