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The primary purpose of this study was to elucidate factors that school psychologists perceive inhibit them from providing more mental health interventions within their professional roles. School psychologists' dual training in mental health and education renders them the logical choice to provide tier II and tier III interventions in schools (National Association of School Psychologists [NASP], 2003). School psychologists appear to be in agreement, as they indicate a desire to spend more time in the provision of roles such as counseling and consultation (e.g., Prout, Alexander, Fletcher, Memis, & Miller, 1993). However, school psychologists currently spend relatively little time in the provision of such services (e.g., Curtis, Hunley, Walker, & Baker, 1999). Although this contradiction provides a rationale for further investigation, previous lines of research have not fully identified why school psychologists are not providing their desired levels of time in the provision of mental health services. Research also suggests that significant differences exist among school psychologists of different ages and levels of experience pertaining to their roles within the school system (e.g., Curtis, Hunley, & Grier, 2002). Therefore, factors such as years of experience also should be considered when studying school psychologists' roles in the provision of mental health services. Thus, an additional purpose of the current study was to examine the frequency of the themes elucidated across each research question as a function of practitioners' levels of experience. Participants were 39 school psychology practitioners from two geographical locations, ranging in age from 26 to 61 years old (M = 41.92, SD = 11.22) and had from 1 to 32 years of experience (M = 11.89, SD = 10.49). Eleven focus groups, composed of two to five members each, were conducted. Participants responded to a set of openended questions, and the discussions were audiotaped and then transcribed verbatim. Within each question, several common themes emerged across the focus groups; however, differences between practitioners' level of experience was noted on several occasions. Implications for future research and practice are presented, specifically related to the training and professional development needs of school psychologists.

This study, drawing on the Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) Literacy 2016 learner achievement data, aimed to examine the relationship between teacher profiles in terms of teachers’ age, years of experience and formal qualification, teachers’ participation in formal and informal professional development activities and South African Grade 4 learners’ reading literacy achievement when controlling for the socio-economic status of the learners. To accommodate all the variables used in the study, a new conceptual framework was developed. This study was initiated as a result of the PIRLS Literacy 2016 results which revealed that South African Grade 4 learners achieved the lowest reading literacy scores out of the 6 participating countries. This study is a secondary analysis utilising standard multiple regression analysis of the PIRLS Literacy 2016 achievement data and the contextual data from the teacher and school questionnaires. The study’s results revealed that there is no statistically significant relationship between South African teachers’ participation in either formal or informal professional development and learners’ reading literacy achievement. Based on the literature however, the emphasis was placed on the educational significance of teachers’ participation in effective professional development activities. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria 2020. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

The Scottish Curriculum for Excellence is framed, without visible theory, in language embedding the value of children’s experiences. In association with a policy encouraging practitioners to develop healthy home/school links, early childhood practitioners develop pedagogical practices in support of this curricular language of experience. One aspect coming into focus is children’s experiences in general rather than only those which take place within institutional walls. One way children introduce their out-of-school experiences into classrooms is by voluntarily bringing treasured objects from home to early childhood setting doors. By jointly engaging with John Dewey’s view that worthwhile educational experiences are developed through interactions and continuities, the pedagogic practices of twelve early childhood practitioners and the view that each child-initiated object episode could be viewed as part of a child’s experience this research aims to better understand practitioners’ development of educational experiences through their responses to the objects forty children voluntarily brought to school. In support of this aim three research questions focused on 1) what objects children brought? 2) what practitioners said and did with the objects? and 3) what practice similarities and differences were visible across two consecutive age groups: 3-5 year olds in a nursery (preschool) and 5-7 year olds in a composite Primary 1/2 class (formal schooling)? During an eight month period in 2009 data were collected by classroom observations, collection of photographic images and practitioner interviews in a government-funded, denominational, early childhood setting in a Scottish village school. Data were analysed for the physical and social properties of children’s objects, practitioner’s pedagogic practices when engaging with the brought-in objects and similarities and differences in object-related classroom behaviours as epitomised in the relationships in each classroom. The findings were that practitioners made use of three main pedagogical practices when engaging with children’s brought-in objects: transforming objects into educational resources, shaping in-school object experiences and building a range of relationships around these objects. While the broad patterns of practice used in both classrooms were similar the details of practice showed underlying framings of children and their futures were different in each classroom. It is argued that what Dewey’s views offer, in the context of these findings, is a theoretical framing of experience that opens new possibilities for practitioner’s individual and group reflections on their current practices and collaborative practice development. His is one of the languages of experience available as practitioners and policy makers around the world grapple with educational questions.

The present study aimed to investigate teaching self efficacy beliefs of instructors working at university prep-schools and to examine whether years of teaching experience, English competency, self reported proficiency and graduate department predicted instructors&rsquo / self efficacy beliefs and their efficacy beliefs in student engagement, instructional strategies and classroom management. Two-hundred-fifty-seven prep-school instructors from universities in Ankara participated in the study. The data were collected through Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, Self Reported English Proficiency Scale and Language Teaching Methods Scale. Both descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation and hierarchical regression analysis, were utilized by PASW 18. The results of the study indicated that the instructors have quite higher overall self efficacy beliefs. The instructors feel more efficacious in classroom management than using instructional strategies while they feel least efficacious in student engagement. Moreover, instructors&rsquo / overall self efficacy beliefs were significantly predicted by experience, English competency and self reported proficiency. Student engagement efficacy was not predicted by experience while it was significantly predicted by English competency and self reported proficiency. Instructional strategy efficacy beliefs were significantly predicted by experience, English competency and self reported proficiency. Classroom management efficacy was predicted by experience and self reported proficiency while English competency was not a significant predictor. Being a graduate of Faculties of Education was not a significant predictor in any regression models. Lastly, there was a significant relationship between the instructors&rsquo / use of communicative method and their overall self efficacy beliefs and its three sub-scales.

Master of Science / Department of Educational Leadership / Sarah Jane Fishback / This study was influenced by the desire to better understand the factors that influence the salary County Extension Agents in Kansas who are employed by K-State Research and Extension. The purpose of the study was to determine factors or the correlation among factors that influence salary compensation. Information was retrieved regarding the 241 County Extension Agents employed in Kansas. Demographic data was compiled on the Extension Agents as well as the ten factors that could influence their salary compensation. The factors are as follows: 1. area within the state; 2. county population; 3. number of agents in the county; 4. director responsibilities; 5. gender; 6. months of Extension employment; 7. years of equivalent service outside of Kansas Extension; 8. change of county employment within Kansas Extension; 9. position type; and 10. level of education. Variable selection through backward elimination was performed identifying area, population, the number of Extension Agents in a county/district, whether the Extension Agent was a director, previous years of experience in an equivalent position outside of K-State Research and Extension, whether an Extension Agent was employed by K-State Research and Extension prior to their current position, months of experience in their current position with K-State Research and Extension, and whether an Extension Agent has a Master's degree and if that Master's degree was obtained prior to the start of their current position to be the most significant influences on salary. Multiple regressions of the data were then performed to determine the significant relationships among certain variables. The population-position-gender correlation was found to be significant as well as the correlation among position types and genders. Recommendations for further research were given including studying the affect of performance evaluations and cost of living on salary compensation. In addition, recommendations for further practices include an annual review of the salary gap among position types and gender to ensure equity of salary compensation. Furthermore, recommendations were given regarding the dispersion of the level of education and timeliness of completing a Master's degree salary compensation data.

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of African- American principals' leadership and the extent to which those perceptions varied according to their race, gender, years of teaching experience, and years working with the principal. The results of this exploratory study are intended to enhance the empirical data reflecting the leadership characteristics of the African-American principal and to contribute to the research on leadership in general. The participants in this study consisted of 32 African-American principals and 164 teachers in schools representing 12 states during the 2004-2005 school year. Each teacher participant completed either an electronic or paper version of the Leadership and Management of Schools Survey Instrument (LMSS) which addressed the leadership and management traits of the principal and the demographic data on the teachers. The findings indicated that African-American principals are perceived as using high levels of transformational and transactional leadership. Additionally, results indicated that race influences the leadership credibility of the African-American principal. There did not appear to be a significant relationship between teachers' perceptions and gender of a teacher, gender of the principal, or both, and no relationship was found between the years of teachers' experience and their perceptions of the African- American principals. However, teachers' perceptions of African- American principals' leadership and management qualities increased positively with the number of years of experience working with the principal. Indications from these findings can be useful to universities, colleges, and school districts in making informed decisions concerning the training, recruitment, and placement of African-American principals.

Changes in schools can cause teachers to experience an intensification of work as they strive to meet expectations of students, parents, and administrations. This study includes an examination of factors that may lead to work intensification (WI) for teachers. The study also includes an examination of how years of experience and teacher perceptions of administrative support may moderate the relationship between teachers' impressions of WI and their job satisfaction. Based on equity theory, data were collected using a Likert-type scale survey distributed to 9 public high schools in southern California. A test for correlation was performed followed by a hierarchal ordinal logistic regression analysis to test for significant relationships and strength of those relationships. Findings revealed at a .95 confidence level a significant relationship between factors of WI and teacher impressions of WI in the areas of the addition of more students to the classroom, fear of losing job, changes in curriculum, decreased pay, the addition of students with special needs in to the classroom, and changes in technology use in the classroom. Findings also revealed that the addition of furlough days, fear of losing job, decreased pay, and an increase of students with special needs in the classroom were significantly related to decreased job satisfaction. Findings revealed that perceptions of administrative support moderate the relationship between teacher impressions of WI and job satisfaction. This study allows for better understanding of how years of experience and administrative support may moderate the relationship between factors of WI and teacher job satisfaction so policy-makers may make better-informed choices that support student education.

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The main purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between students' achievement in mathematics and teachers' background, professional development and teaching practices. A self report instrument - Mathematics Teaching Opinionate Scale (MaTOS) was used to collect data from Form C (Grade 10) mathematics teachers in the Maseru District in Lesotho, Southern Africa. Stratified random sampling technique was adopted for the study in the selection of participants screened on the basis of type of ownership of schools. The simple random format was subsequently utilized to pick 40 teachers on the basis of school population. Out of the total participants of 40 teachers, 18 (45.0%) were males while 22(55.0%) were female. Simple correlation and regression statistics at the 0.01 and 0.05 significance levels were utilized for data analysis. Findings indicated a significant positive relationship between students' academic achievement in mathematics and teachers' background (i.e. teachers' qualifications, subject majors and years of experience especially from six years of teaching) with r = 0.552, P < 0.01. Furthermore, regression analysis showed that teachers' qualifications (&#946; = 0.77, P < 0.05), subject majors (&#946; = 0.35, P < 0.05) and experience (&#946; = 0.16, P < 0.05) were predictors of students' achievement in mathematics [F(3,39) = 4.321; P < 0.05)]. The findings therefore suggest that if all mathematics teachers have a degree, are specialized in mathematics or mathematics education and have more than five years teaching experience the students' achievement in mathematics would likely improve. / MATH, SCIENCE & TECH EDU / MSC (MATHS,SCIENCE OR T/EDU)