Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-63).

Orientador: Cristiano Amaral Garboggini Di Giorgi / Banca: Sérgio César da Fonseca / Banca: Paulo César de Almeida Raboni / Resumo: O presente estudo foi construído no âmbito da Linha de Pesquisa "Políticas Públicas, Organização Escolar e Formação de Professores" e teve por objetivo investigar a existência de modelos de resolução de conflitos, principalmente envolvendo o Professor Mediador Escolar e Comunitário numa escola da rede pública do interior de São Paulo. As mais diversas tentativas de enfrentamento das questões referentes à violência e indisciplina dentro das escolas e a possibilidade de existir ou não, práticas e ações restaurativas, políticas públicas e legislação sobre o assunto envolvem a preocupação deste pesquisador. O espaço escolar divide com a família a obrigação da formação e da educação, sendo atualmente a principal responsável pelo desenvolvimento ou não das pessoas, ou pelo menos assim é vista. A indisciplina e a violência na escola precisam ser estudadas, entendidas e divulgadas de forma simples, de fácil compreensão para que o seu enfrentamento, aliando educadores, pais e Estado, possa acontecer de forma efetiva e diversificada, se adequando a cada espaço escolar e assim, desenvolvendo políticas públicas que atendam as necessidades existentes. A análise e as experiências da utilização de meios alternativos e do projeto referente ao professor mediador escolar e comunitário como possíveis soluções de conflitos nas escolas poderá expandir a criação e explicitação de novas e viáveis alternativas dessa solução dos problemas existentes nas escolas. O atual panorama existente dentro da escola, bem como a possibilidade de atuação e comprometimento do meio escolar com o projeto do professor mediador pode revelar uma ação nova que tende a ser algo diferente na resolução dos conflitos existentes, bem como na... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study was constructed as part of the Research Line "Public Policy, School Organization and Teacher Training" and aimed to investigate the existence of models of conflict resolution, mainly involving School and Community Mediator Teacher in a public school in the interior of Sao Paulo. The most diverse attempts to cope with issues of violence and indiscipline in schools and the possibility of existing there, or not, restorative practices and actions, public policies and legislation on the subject involve the concerns of the researcher. The school shares space with the family the obligation of bringing-up, training and education, currently being the main responsible for the development of the people, or not, or at least so it is seen. The indiscipline and violence in school need to be studied, understood and disseminated in a simple, easy to understand way, so that the way to face them, uniting educators, parents and the state, can happen in an effective and diversified way, fitting each school space and thus developing public policies that meet existing needs. The analysis and experiments on the use of alternative and project of the School and Community Mediator Teacher as possible solutions to conflicts in schools can expand the creation and explanation of this new and viable alternative solution to existing problems in schools. The current picture within the existing school, as well as the possibility of performance and commitment of the school, designed by the School and Community Mediator Teacher may reveal a new action that tends to be somewhat different in the solution of the existing conflicts, as well as the modern alternative to in among the pedagogical problems... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This study focuses on the role of discipline in the establishment and maintenance of a safe school environment for learners and educators. In a mainly qualitative investigation, empirical data from four primary schools and five high schools in the East London Region of the Eastern Cape Province were collected by means of individual interviews and questionnaires. Historico-legal research also formed part of the literature review, thus law reports and articles from South Africa and other countries were included as part of the research process. This was done to shed light on the legal consequences of school violence and discipline, affecting the safe learning environment of learners. Perceptions of educators and learners in the selected schools regarding discipline and violence at their schools were collected by means of a survey. Three hundred and thirty questionnaires were completed by learners from the selected schools, and nine interviews were conducted with either the principal or a member of the senior management team of each school. The researcher also conducted further in-depth interviews with twenty learners from four schools (two primary and two high schools). These data were analysed in accordance with accepted procedures for qualitative data processing. The data revealed that a culture of violence exists in these schools, and that corporal punishment is still practised. Learners’ perceptions on safety and discipline at their schools revealed that bullying persists, especially when there is no teacher supervision. Participating educators’ experiences suggested the need for promoting positive discipline, and creating a safe learning environment for all, by involving parents in the education process and involving them in drawing up a code of conduct for the school.

Bullying can be defined as repeatedly harming others verbally, emotionally, or physically. There has been past research on the relationship between bullying and aggression; this prior research has concluded that bullies have high levels of aggression and are more likely to be aggressive adults. It has also been reported that victims have lower aggression levels than bullies in young adulthood (Olweus, 1993). It is because of events such as the Columbine high school shooting that this study is being conducted. The purpose of this research is to reevaluate aggression levels in both bullies and their victims. It seems that the attitudes of today's bullies and their victims have changed, specifically the victim's aggression patterns. This study will reevaluate bully and victim aggression levels and compare them to past data as well as show the comparison of the results between the groups within the study. The results of this research may redirect the attention of bullying intervention and prevention to a new group of individuals, the victims.

This study examined the relationship between social affiliation and school violence among male public high school students in Kuwait. Specifically, this study investigated the violent behavior characteristics of tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait and the relationship between family structure, family type, and student age of those students and school violence. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to test the first null hypothesis: there are no significant differences in mean subscale scores between the four characteristics of violent behavior and the social affiliation of male public high school students in Kuwait. Multiple linear regression was used to develop a predictive linear model for the relationship between violence and household size, family structure, and student age among tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait. Six hundred male public high school students were given the Aggression Questionnaire which consisted of four subscales: physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. Tribal participants reported more violent behavior characteristics than non-tribal participants. These results supported previous research regarding a relationship between culture and school violence. The results supported those studies that had previously found a significant relationship between student age and the prediction of school violence as indicated by the Aggression Questionnaire (Al Dokhy's;2003). However, the findings indicated that family structure and family size were not significant predictors of violent behavior for the study sample. A linear regression model for predicting scores for violent behaviors of male public high school students in Kuwait was proposed. / Ph. D.

This study examines the predictors of school violence cross-nationally, testing the applicability of criminological theories of adult violence to violence in the school setting. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), a method of multi-level linear analysis, of the 2007 Trends in International Math and Science Studies (TIMSS) data augmented with data from UN Human Development Reports, UN Demographic Yearbook, CIA World Factbook and the World Health Organization Mortality Database, I determine the predictors of school violence at the school and national levels to determine what variables account for cross-national variation in the level of school violence. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) takes into account the structure of nested data, and this study examines schools nested within nations. The relationships between school and national level inequalities, social disorganization, institutional anomie, social support, resource deprivation theories and school violence are tested. Violence is operationally defined as a continuum of aggression ranging from non-physical to physical (see Yu 2003), incorporating low-level as well as more serious forms of interpersonal violence. I find that measures of social disorganization, institutional anomie and resource deprivation at both the school and national levels predict higher levels of violence within schools. Surprisingly, homogeneity rather than heterogeneity is a significant predictor of physical bullying. In addition, math achievement and achievement score variation significantly predict the level of school violence cross-nationally. At the national level, placing too much emphasis on students' achievement on standardized tests may inadvertently create a culture conducive to school violence. Emphasizing a diverse range of ways to measure students' achievement other than standardized testing may reduce the likelihood that students experience strain and engage in violent behavior at school. This research is the first to use multi-level linear analysis to discern the school and national level predictors of school violence. / Ph. D.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Society, Culture, Media & Philosophy, Department of Critical and Cultural Studies, 2004. / Bibliography: leaves 310-325.

Research is unclear as to whether the level of violence in schools is increasing or decreasing. Regardless, it is higher than anyone would prefer. Therefore, it is essential that information on the nature and effects of violence in our schools, as well as methods for coping with and preventing such violence be gathered. It is also essential that the impact on different populations be explored. This study presents quantitative and qualitative research on the experience and psychological impact of school violence on rural Alberta teachers specifically. Sixty-eight teachers from a rural Alberta school division were surveyed to determine what forms of school violence they had experienced, the impact it has had on them, and their suggestions for preventing and coping with school violence in the future. Data collected determined that the rates of school violence against teachers remain high. The most commonly experienced form of school violence was verbal insults, with the prevalence of all incidents decreasing as the severity increased. Students and parents were the most likely perpetrators of school violence against teachers. Data gathered revealed significant emotional, physical, and career impact symptoms as a result of school violence. Survey participants strongly endorsed numerous techniques for coping with and preventing school violence, the most common being polices for dealing with school violence. Violence against teachers within rural Alberta schools was determined to be a serious social and psychological issue that cannot be overlooked. / xvi, 214 leaves ; 29 cm

A plenitude of media and research reports suggest that aggressive behaviour amongst the youth is becoming more confrontational, violent and common place. Factors spawning violence in schools are numerous and complex and include socio-economic and political inequities. This study not only reflects on the nature and scope of violence in schools, but focuses specifically on teachers as victims of violence. A broad based definition of violence has been used to include both insidious and physical forms of violence against teachers. In the first phase of data collection, the quantitative method was used to gather information via questionnaires. In the second phase, narrative stories were developed from semi-structured interviews using the qualitative methodology. Both these methodologies have been used in a complementary manner to give depth and enhance the meaning of the data. The analysis indicates that the prominence and pervasiveness of violence against teachers is staggering. The absence of effective structures, mechanisms and policies to stem the tide of violence has further aggravated the problem. The potential for conflict within the school context is underpinned by tension created by transient values. The youth do not have a core set of values that give direction to the decisions that they make. The consequence of this gap is unpacked in the "Core Values-Vacuum (CV2) Theory" that has been proposed in an attempt to understand violence in schools. The study concludes with the idea that there is no single factor that can explain violence in schools. However, the major causes and impact of violence identified provides a foundation for the conceptualisation of future safety and security initiatives in schools. / Theses (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This research was undertaken from an ecosystemic perspective and aimed to explore how male adolescents from diverse racial and cultural groups experienced violence in an urban, private, secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal. The first part of the dissertation consists of a brief introductory overview of the study incorporating background and aim of the research, problem statement, clarification of terminology, research methodology and course of study. A comprehensive literature review, encompassing detailed explanations of the ecosystemic perspective, incorporates a study of violence and its multiple facets, components and interacting contributory systems. Furthermore, a specific rationalization of South African violence and male adolescent violence in South African secondary schools is analytically unpacked. In line with the researcher's epistemology, the methodology utilised was qualitative in nature and the phenomenological interview technique was employed to explore the experiences of male adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 years. The responses of the participants were subjected to a thematic analysis. The imperative themes that emerged from the data analysis procedure are outlined in the results chapter and it is apparent from the responses of the participants that issues of masculinity, gender-role socialisation, male identity formation and peer pressure are significant contributory factors influencing the prevalence of violence in South African secondary schools. The results are therefore discussed with reference to the literature review and expressly associated with the South African context. Finally a conclusion is offered together with reflections of the researcher and recommendations for educators. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.