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1997 research outputs found
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The Primary Dilemma: Determining And Overcoming Barriers To A Focus On Prekindergarten Through Grade 3
Get PDFIn 2017, reporters of national data in regard to reading ability among American, fourth grade students indicated low proficiency and achievement gaps. These results were also consistent within the state and district under study. There is a need to increase the focus on prekindergarten and primary grade education taking place prior to the grades in which federally mandated, accountability assessments for student learning take place. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential barriers to a paradigm shift at the state and district levels from a focus on state-assessed grade levels to prekindergarten and primary grade levels. The context of this study is a large public school district, the state in which it is located, and the federal education law under which both entities operate. My study demonstrates the gap in priorities between the state and local education leaders in regard to which grade levels should receive the majority of focus on an elementary school campus. I suggest the addition of quality measures for public prekindergarten and primary grade classrooms in order to improve professional development efforts and increase administrative focus
Black Girls Matter: The Impact of Historical Representation on Contemporary Education
Get PDFA long history of misogynoir and negative stereotypes about Blackgirls and women can be found throughout the literature and popular culture of the United States. These stereotypes inform the lived experience of Black girls and women, and in particular interfere with African American girls’ ability to thrive in a school environment. An autoethnographic research approach shows that various strategies, in particular, Black girl-centric spaces, have proven to be helpful in supporting Black girls who have to negotiate varying degrees of hostility in general environments. These could be applied more broadly to improve Black girls’ mental, psychological, physical, and educational outcomes
Running in Place: The Conditions Associated with Principal Transition in Chicago and the Implications for Policy and Practice
No full textThere are more than 650 principals in Chicago’s public district and charter schools, and 60-90 of them leave every year. Using publicly available data, I look closely at the 228 transitions that occurred in 505 district-managed public schools between 2014 and 2017.
The data in this study suggest that Chicago generally keeps more principals than other large urban districts. Still, transition happens here, in all types of schools. When it does, a new principal typically inherits a school where performance already tracks behind on a wide range of metrics, including student attendance, teacher retention, perception of leadership, math attainment, and reading attainment. My research suggests that school communities experiencing transition also struggle to catch up, even several years after leadership change.
Based on the analyses in this study, I recommend a series of research-based policy and practice changes. Acting on these recommendations could improve the conditions for new principals, the competencies of stakeholders involved in the leadership transition process, and the context and culture of succession planning and transition management overall.
I offer tools for evaluating transition needs and assigning resources. These tools may be particularly helpful for Local School Council members who are charged with principal hiring and management decisions in the city’s schools. Although firmly rooted in Chicago’s context, these recommendations have relevance in other school systems, both big and small. I conclude by outlining additional qualitative and quantitative research that could further inform the field
Critical District Supports for New Magnet Programs
Get PDFMagnet schools have been a remedy districts, including the district under study, use to create voluntary integration within school districts under court-ordered desegregation. The purpose of this study was to determine how district leaders can support magnet programs in districts not receiving Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant funding and to identify the challenges new magnet programs face. The context of this study was a large school district transforming seven existing schools into new magnet programs. My study pointed to the importance of secured funding and the support of a wide range of district level leaders. My study highlighted the many challenges new magnet programs face when funding is not secured prior to initiation. I suggest the creation of a Magnet Advisory Team to participate in the planning of new programs, including committing to fiscal support for critical school-based positions and principal selection. Additionally, I recommend when these criteria cannot be met, districts postpone the introduction of new programs until such time that full support can be secured
The Impact of Social Media on the Self-Esteem of Youth 10–17 Years Old: A Review of the Literature
Get PDFThe world of technology has expanded quickly and vastly since its inception. The creation of social media sites and applications has changed the ways in which youth interact, connect, and share with one another. As the number of social media sites and applications increases, so does their use by adolescents. During adolescence, youth are undergoing the process of identity development and self-esteem is an important part of this development. During this developmental period, adolescents’ self-esteem is likely to be affected by the feedback they receive online through social media sites. There is limited research available that specifically evaluated the impact of social media on adolescents’ developing self-esteem. Of the articles available that investigated the relationship between these two constructs, some were published 8 years ago or more (i.e., 2012 or earlier) and the social media platforms adolescents use have changed. The focus of this theoretical clinical research project was to review the research and data available on the impact of social media use on the self-esteem of youth, present the clinical implications of the current research, and provide suggestions for the need and direction for future research. The chosen studies included participants between the ages of 10 and 17 years old who used various social media platforms. The existing research demonstrated both positive and negative correlations between social media use and self-esteem. Increases and decreases in adolescents’ levels of self-esteem are influenced by different factors, such as feedback, their investment in social media, and reason for use. The varying results provide support for the need for additional research on the relationship between these two constructs as social media continues to change
The Evaluation of the Jostens Renaissance Incentive Program and the Impact it has on Students at a Southwest Florida High School
Get PDFAs state requirements for academic achievement continue to become more rigorous, school administrators and counselors strive to create positive school environments. Therefore, administrators and counselors must find creative incentive programs tailored to meet the needs of respective school settings, such as the Jostens Renaissance incentive program. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Jostens Renaissance education incentive program at one Title I high school in Southwest Florida by studying the relationship among students’ GPAs, attendance, and disciplinary issues before participation in the program. The evaluation was a quantitative, quasi-experimental design that utilized pre-existing data of students at a Florida high school. Seventy-nine students participated in the Jostens Renaissance incentive program between 2019 to 2020 in the span of one school semester. Quantitative data showed the participants’ demographics of race, ethnicity, grade level, and academic information. A pretest/posttest design showed the impact of the Jostens Renaissance incentive program on students’ GPAs, attendance, and disciplinary issues. Results showed a significant increase in GPA and significant decrease in days absent and number of discipline cards occurred before and after the implementation of the Jostens Renaissance Program. Therefore, the program was successful at improving students’ goals
An Analysis For Change Regarding Teacher Hiring Practices Of Urban Districts
No full textThis dissertation lays out the ways in which urban and near urban school districts go about hiring teachers in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The concern about why schools are unable to consistently staff schools rests primarily on the basis that teachers leave challenging schools because of higher class sizes, compensation and student behavioral concerns. When conducting research and gathering information regarding hiring in urban and near urban schools, I was able to construct a plan following Tony Wagner’s (2010) change leadership examination of a program as it is currently (As-Is) to plan for what the program is to be (To-Be). The vision of success focuses on elements of context, culture, conditions, and competencies to design a robust plan that meets the needs of the districts. Ultimately, the strategies and action steps will lay the groundwork for what an urban district can implement to turn-the-tide and provide the best for their students
The Effect of Active Learning on Achievement and Attitude in Vocational English Course
Get PDFThe aim of the study was to determine the effect of active learning techniques applied in Vocational English Course on students’ achievement and attitude. In the research, quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control group model was used. The participants included the students majoring Tourism Management at a state university in Turkey and taking Vocational English Course in fall semester in 2017-2018 academic year. In the experimental group, instruction was carried out using active learning techniques, while in the control group, instruction was conducted in conventional lecture method. The techniques used in the study were writing poetry, concept mapping, simulation, role-play, writing e-mails, script writing and drama. Vocational English Course Achievement Test and Attitude Scale towards Vocational English Course were used to collect data. The findings of the study revealed that active learning techniques were more effective in acquiring the objectives of Vocational English Course with a large effect size. Similarly, the findings of study reflected that active learning techniques made a significant difference on students’ attitudes towards Vocational English Course with a large effect size.
Keywords: Active learning, Achievement, Attitude, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Vocational English Course, Faculty of Tourism
The Impact of Principal Leadership Qualities on Professional Learning Implementation
Get PDFThe results of effective principal leadership qualities on school improvement are often felt but very difficult to quantify. It is important to know which qualities are most important, which qualities result in the most effective leadership, which qualities are most valued by faculties, and which qualities have the greatest impact on school culture. The purpose of this study is not only to identify effective qualities, but to also understand how these qualities translate to determination and implementation of professional learning. The context of the inquiry includes the administrative staff in two middle schools within a large public school district in the United States. My study demonstrates the impact of principal effectiveness on the ability to evaluate instruction and relate such evaluation to student achievement data to determine and implement a professional learning plan for teachers
Experiences of Graduate Level Students of Color with Race in Psychology Diversity Courses
Get PDFThe ethnoracial makeup of individuals entering fields of study such as psychology continues to change but the experiences of graduate level students of color in these programs is a phenomenon that has received little attention. When attempting to understand these experiences specific to racial content, the literature is almost nonexistent. This qualitative inquiry was designed in an attempt to understand, assess, and depict the experiences of students of color related to experiences of racial content in their American Psychological Association (APA) accredited graduate level diversity/multicultural psychology courses. The focus was on their reactions (e.g., emotional, physical, somatic) to class discourse, lectures, readings, projects, experiential learning, peers, professors, and videos pertaining to race. The participants included 13 individuals: seven Black, four Asian/Pacific Islander, one Latinx, and one bi/multi-racial. All participants attended an APA-accredited institution and completed a graduate level psychology diversity course within the past 4 years or were enrolled in said course at the time of the study. The results of this study revealed these individuals’ experiences were influenced by factors such as the ethnoracial identities of the participants, peers, and professors; the supportiveness of professors and peers; and the level of engagement of peers. Participants also provided suggestions for what components of their graduate level psychology diversity courses need to change in order to provide an educational experience that would address their needs and racial content