The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons that deter qualified females who have successfully completed administrative certification programs, from applying or accepting positions in school site administration. Data collection involved semistructured interviews of 12 females who had successfully completed an educational administrative program from 2001-2006. Eight focus areas were selected as a framework for the purpose of data collection. Of these, six were identified from a 1977 study by Stefan Krchniak for purposes of comparison. The eight focus areas explored were: (1) aspiration, (2) assertiveness, (3) personal and situational constraints, (4) discriminatory hiring practices, (5) university assisted job placement, (6) general attitudes and beliefs, (7) role models, and (8) job attractiveness. The study found confidence to be a key factor in participant's decision to apply for a principalship or vice principalship. Administrative role models with similar leadership styles were cited by participants as important in their encouragement to enter school administration. The findings also identified the top desirable and undesirable characteristic traits of school site administration that impacted job attractiveness. Desirable traits were: (1) working with and supporting teachers; (2) developing, planning, and implementing curriculum; (3) leading a school through vision, goals, and accomplishments; (4) supporting and influencing children; and (5) provides new challenges. Undesirable traits were: (1) job too stressful, (2) job requires too much time, (3) held accountable for unrealistic expectations, (4) job holds too many responsibilities, and (5) constant and difficult student discipline. The implications of the study findings are common factors exist that attract or deter qualified female's decision to apply or accept a position in school site administration. This information could be valuable to assist educational administrative certification faculty, field practitioners including school boards, superintendents, and district human resource directors to better recruit and retain women in school site administration.

Sammanfattning I läraryrket har vi sett hur viktigt och väsentligt det muntliga och skriftliga språket är i allt lärande. Språkkravet i skolan ökar under elevens skolgång och eleven möter allt mer komplexa texter av olika text- och språkstrukturer, textmängder och textinnehåll. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur lärares undervisning bedrivs i praktiken, med fokus på hur språklig utveckling hos eleverna i förskoleklass till årskurs 3 främjas. Vidare handlar det om att synliggöra vilka språkliga förmågor som lärare bearbetar med eleverna, för att stärka deras språkliga kompetens. Studien tillämpar ett induktivt förhållningssätt och är av kvalitativ natur. Metodansatsen är etnografisk och består av öppna observationer med förstärkning av observjuer, där materialinsamlingen analyseras genom en tematisk analys. Detta innebär att studien grundar sig i ett öppet förhållningssätt till det vi observerade och observjuade. Insamlingen är från 9 olika grundskolor i 5 olika kommuner. Omfattningen av materialet är 18 timmar observerad undervisning. Studiens resultat visar att läraren arbetar språkutvecklande i både planerad form och genom att fånga de tillfällen som ges till spontana interaktioner med eleverna. Undervisningen har berört både språkets form, struktur och funktion, vilka kan betecknas som grunden för en språklig utveckling. I studien har vi mött engagerade lärare, som lägger stor vikt vid att inkludera ord och begrepp som en naturlig del i undervisningen. På så sätt har den semantiska förmågan stått i fokus i den språkliga undervisningen.

During 2010 and 2011, major earthquakes caused widespread damage and the deaths of 185 people in the city of Christchurch. Damaged school buildings resulted in state intervention which required amendment of the Education Act of 1989, and the development of ‘site sharing agreements’ in undamaged schools to cater for the needs of students whose schools had closed. An effective plan was also developed for student assessment through establishing an earthquake impaired derived grade process. Previous research into traditional explanations of educational inequalities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and New Zealand were reviewed through various processes within three educational inputs: the student, the school and the state. Research into the impacts of urban natural disasters on education and education inequalities found literature on post disaster education systems but nothing could be found that included performance data. The impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes on educational inequalities and achievement were analysed over 2009-2012. The baseline year was 2009, the year before the first earthquake, while 2012 is seen as the recovery year as no schools closed due to seismic events and there was no state intervention into the education of the region. National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) results levels 1-3 from thirty-four secondary schools in the greater Christchurch region were graphed and analysed. Regression analysis indicates; in 2009, educational inequalities existed with a strong positive relationship between a school’s decile rating and NCEA achievement. When schools were grouped into decile rankings (1-10) and their 2010 NCEA levels 1-3 results were compared with the previous year, the percentage of change indicates an overall lower NCEA achievement in 2010 across all deciles, but particularly in lower decile schools. By contrast, when 2011 NCEA results were compared with those of 2009, as a percentage of change, lower decile schools fared better. Non site sharing schools also achieved higher results than site sharing schools. State interventions, had however contributed towards student’s achieving national examinations and entry to university in 2011. When NCEA results for 2012 were compared to 2009 educational inequalities still exist, however in 2012 the positive relationship between decile rating and achievement is marginally weaker than in 2009. Human ethics approval was required to survey one Christchurch secondary school community of students (aged between 12 and 18), teachers and staff, parents and caregivers during October 2011. Participation was voluntary and without incentives, 154 completed questionnaires were received. The Canterbury earthquakes and aftershocks changed the lives of the research participants. This school community was displaced to another school due to the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February 2011. Research results are grouped under four geographical perspectives; spatial impacts, socio-economic impacts, displacement, and health and wellbeing. Further research possibilities include researching the lag effects from the Canterbury earthquakes on school age children.