Focusing on teacher learning, this study follows fifteen teachers in the crux of comprehensive school reform. These "regular" classroom teachers are the ubiquitous players of this theatre of school reform. "Regular" teacher is defined as a typical classroom teacher who is not actively involved in the district's school reform project or one who hasn't taken an active leadership role. The teachers in this study work in the challenging environment of a poor, diverse urban school district that was in its third year of a comprehensive school reform program, the Accelerated Schools Project. Fifteen teachers volunteered to take part in a teaching laboratory where they met, planned, taught, assessed and reflected on their practice. The study tells, analyzes and speculates about their journey. The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) is a national comprehensive school improvement model that provides professional development to schools. The study described the experiences of regular classroom teachers who engaged in a yearlong professional development program that is part of the ASP service to schools. This study employs qualitative research methods in a multiple case study analysis. By examining the teaching practices of regular classroom teachers who are often depicted as "closing the door" to the outside influences of school, district, state or federal policy, the study seeks to fully understand the planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting of classroom teachers who are caught in the center of school reform. The key findings of this study suggest teacher practice for all teacher cohorts (novice, mid-career and veteran) was influenced by participation in the Powerful Learning Laboratory. Each aspect of teaching (planning, teaching, assessing and reflection) was influenced, with differing emphasis by each cohort. The findings suggest the Powerful Learning Lab is a positive professional development experience for teachers, and that teacher learning labs should remain an integral part of the Accelerated Schools Project.

In 1993, the New Zealand Government mandated the requirement that all schools must have in place an ongoing programme of school self-review (Education Review Office, 2000). This thesis identifies the purposes and processes of self-review used in six primary schools in New Zealand. The study also identifies the roles that leaders play in the self-review process and also highlights the impact of teacher research on the process. The research questions are: 1. What are the processes and purposes of self-review in schools and what roles do leaders play in the process? 2. What aspects of teachers' practice have an impact on the self-review process? This research study adopted a qualitative research methodology with semi-structured interviews as the research tool. The qualitative information gathered from the six schools was analysed and written up as a case study. For the purpose of this thesis, self-review is identified as the process of review of all school practices with the intention of improving student achievement. The findings indicated that the main purposes of conducting school self-review were to enhance student achievement, to review school policies and programmes and also to ensure accountability. This study also indicated that through a well-planned process of self-review schools can achieve their goals and fulfill the aims stated in their school charter. Another aspect which participants revealed was that self-reviews result in change and therefore leaders and school staff should have the necessary skills and competencies to deal with and manage such change. This was also identified as an issue of self-review. Participants believed that effective leadership is essential to conduct self-reviews which result in positive outcomes. This study found that the failure to achieve school improvement through self-review, is in part due to the structure of many current self-review programmes. At present, schools perceive self-review as the need to review everything that takes place. This perception may mean that valuable time and money is spent on something that the school does not deem significant. Rather, the findings of this study suggest that concentrating on particular areas for a certain period of time results in a better performance of the whole school. In conclusion, this thesis found that school development and improvement cannot happen without enhancing and focusing on student achievement. For self-review to be successful, it should be carried out in a collaborative school climate of open and honest communication, mutual support and mutual responsibility. For it to be successful, self-review should also be planned, systematic, and ongoing. Data collection for self-review should be done through illuminative, participatory and responsive inquiry methods. Finally, I recommend that further research is needed in the area of self-review and perhaps an exploration of the possible links between a school's decile level and its self-review process.

For the last forty years, since the end of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has been committed to renewal. In Queensland, Catholic schools have responded to this commitment by undertaking cyclical renewal processes since the early 1980s. The focus of this research was the process of Catholic School Renewal in the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. The review of the literature focused on literature relating to school effectiveness and school improvement internationally and nationally, as well as Catholic School Renewal in Queensland generally and the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton specifically. The following research questions focused the research design: 1. How is the process of Catholic School Renewal a source of potential growth? 2. How does the process of Catholic School Renewal ensure quality Catholic education? 3. How is the process of Catholic School Renewal a useful quality assurance tool? The epistemological stance adopted for the research was constructionism. The research paradigm adopted was interpretivism with social interactionism as the selected orientation. As case study is congruent with an interpretivist tradition of research it was adopted as a useful way of gaining insight into the perspectives of the participants. The case was comprised of some staff members who worked in one of four Catholic primary schools situated in three of the four regions of the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton. Data collection took the form of semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire with the data being analysed using the constant comparative method. The study concluded that the process of Catholic School Renewal in the Diocese of Rockhampton is a useful quality assurance tool which helps to ensure quality Catholic education. Whether or not the process is a source of growth is dependent on a number of factors, paramount among which is the approach and ability of the Regional Supervisor of Schools. There were six major recommendations arising out of the research. These related to: 1. Ensuring the Regional Supervisor of Schools has certain attributes and knowledge. 2. Inservicing school staff on the purpose and nature of Catholic School Renewal. 3. Providing External Validation Team members with adequate inservice. 4. Permitting more involvement of the school principal in the process. 5. Initiating a review of the process of Catholic School Renewal in the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton. 6. Rockhampton Catholic Education continuing to use the process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / William L. Curlette, committee chair; Gwendolyn Benson, Douglas Davis, Mary P. Deming, Roy M. Kern, committee members. Electronic text (139 p. : col. ill.) : digital, PDF file. Title from file title page. Description based on contents viewed Dec. 5, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-127).

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Idaho, 2006. / Abstract. "April 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-179). Also available online in PDF format.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-186). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-81). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-136). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-136). Also available on the Internet.