Current Search: info:fedora/islandora:entityCModel (x) » info:fedora/fau:smc (x) » Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (x)
View All Items
Pages
- Title
- Transformation of Palm Beach Community College to Palm Beach State College: a case study.
- Creator
- Basiratmand, Mehran, Floyd, Deborah L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this single-site case study was to examine the organization and leadership change process of Palm Beach State College, a publicly funded institution in Florida, as it embarked on offering bachelor’s degree programs. The study examined the organizational change process and the extent to which Palm Beach State College’s organization transformation aligned with the eight stages of John Kotter’s (1996, 2012) Change Management Model. This qualitative research was conducted using...
Show moreThe purpose of this single-site case study was to examine the organization and leadership change process of Palm Beach State College, a publicly funded institution in Florida, as it embarked on offering bachelor’s degree programs. The study examined the organizational change process and the extent to which Palm Beach State College’s organization transformation aligned with the eight stages of John Kotter’s (1996, 2012) Change Management Model. This qualitative research was conducted using triangulation of data collection and analysis methods via interviews, observations, and document review. This study found that the organizational transformation was a success, and that while expanding its offerings, the college remained true to its core mission. Kotter’s model was found to be appropriate to examine the change process, and the college was well aligned in all but the final stage of the model. This research contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of higher education, primarily for two-year colleges embarking on the endeavor of organizational change process to confer baccalaureates.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004005
- Subject Headings
- Community colleges -- Florida, Organizational change – Florida, State universities and colleges -- Florida, Palm Beach State College
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The public official leadership experience: a case study of leadership collier and its impact on motivating and empowering select citizens.
- Creator
- Curatolo, Courtney, Bryan, Valerie, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This dissertation explored a type of qualitative case study based on the experiences of 11 graduates from Leadership Collier, a Naples, Florida-based leadership program, who had run for public office after completing the program. The researcher assessed the program goals, participant experiences and motivation with regard to community involvement and running for elected office. It was the belief of the researcher that there was a need for more qualified and effective leaders to run for public...
Show moreThis dissertation explored a type of qualitative case study based on the experiences of 11 graduates from Leadership Collier, a Naples, Florida-based leadership program, who had run for public office after completing the program. The researcher assessed the program goals, participant experiences and motivation with regard to community involvement and running for elected office. It was the belief of the researcher that there was a need for more qualified and effective leaders to run for public office at the local, state, and national levels of government. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation study was to understand what leadership experiences gained through participating in a leadership training program could empower and motivate a person to run for public office. Information provided in this dissertation includes an introduction, the study’s purpose and research questions, methodology, critical terms, an examination of the literature review, study findings, researcher reflections, and recommendations for future studies. Data analysis codes in this study include sense of community, social capital, program design, confidentiality, diversity, bonding, empowerment, and motivation. Research findings showed that Leadership Collier has motivated and empowered select citizens to run for public office by providing experiences that have enabled individuals to develop leadership skills, become aware of community issues, develop confidence and a sense of community, expand social capital, and increase engagement in the community. Keywords: leadership, public office, empowerment, motivation
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004012
- Subject Headings
- Political leadership -- Psychological aspects -- Case studies, Leadership -- Case studies
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploratory examination of “pockets of success” in creating urban high schools of opportunity for LSES students.
- Creator
- Gaines, Frank, Bogotch, Ira, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine “pockets of success” through the voices of participant stakeholders in low socio-economic status urban high schools and communities to identify opportunities and structures that can improve postsecondary outcomes for students. Examining those pockets of success to rise above the dynamics that obstruct pathways to success, and identifying opportunities for students to transcend their social, economic, and human condition, are the impetuses...
Show moreThe purpose of this exploratory study was to examine “pockets of success” through the voices of participant stakeholders in low socio-economic status urban high schools and communities to identify opportunities and structures that can improve postsecondary outcomes for students. Examining those pockets of success to rise above the dynamics that obstruct pathways to success, and identifying opportunities for students to transcend their social, economic, and human condition, are the impetuses for the study. The study design is grounded in portraiture, created by Lawrence-Lightfoot and Hoffman-Davis (1997), to detail the intricate dynamics and relationships that exist in high schools. Portraiture steps outside of the traditional boundaries of quantitative and qualitative research to converge narrative analysis with public discourse in a search for authenticity. Identifying what the participants value, how they create and promote opportunities for students, the school’s role in rebuilding the surrounding community, and the community’s priority for graduates, provided the groundwork. The review of the literature reconstructs the term “opportunity” in the context of the urban high school, aligning it with the moral purposes of education. It traces the history of educational and social justice barriers for minority students, outlines the impact of leadership decision-making on the evolution of the urban high school, and addresses increasing the capacity of schools to create opportunities for students to succeed. Participants revealed the foundations for success, challenges and goals toward success, conduits to facilitate that success, and collaborations required to build an agenda to couple school-based stakeholders, civic groups, and national organizations to the creation of a national platform to improve outcomes for urban public high school students in disenfranchised communities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004019
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- Social aspects, Educational equalization, Effective teaching, Minorities -- Education -- Social aspects, School improvement programs
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A new look at distributive leadership in title I and non-title I schools: does distributive leadership impact student achievement and school culture?.
- Creator
- Givens, Keietta Latraill, Mountford, Meredith L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership,...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership, school culture, and student achievement is moderated by Title I status. This study was significant in the realm of education as it explored distributive leadership, its working definition, and possible relationship to increased student achievement and positive school culture. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was implemented to answer each of the five proposed research questions and five corresponding null hypotheses. A bivariate correlation analysis revealed there was not a relationship between distributive leadership and school culture; distributive leadership and student achievement in a middle school setting. Further, a moderation analysis determined that distributive leadership and school culture, distributive leadership and student achievement were not moderated by Title I status. Additionally, a t-test showed there was not a difference in how leadership was distributed within Title I and Non-Title I schools. A discussion of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for K-12 were explained in detail, followed by suggestions for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004022
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement, Distributive leadership, Educational accountability, Educational leadership, School management and organization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Early environmental adult education: an oral history of citizen researchers' learning in the Appalachian land ownership study, 1979-1881.
- Creator
- Sodano, Keara, Bryan, Valerie, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The Appalachian Land Ownership Study was a participatory action research project in one of our nation’s poorest regions suffering from absenteeism, poverty, powerlessness, and improper taxation. In discovering who owned the region’s land, the participants sought to organize against the social, economic and environmental injustices imposed on the Appalachian land and people. Most sociological and historical accounts of the Land Study focus on the process of participatory action research and...
Show moreThe Appalachian Land Ownership Study was a participatory action research project in one of our nation’s poorest regions suffering from absenteeism, poverty, powerlessness, and improper taxation. In discovering who owned the region’s land, the participants sought to organize against the social, economic and environmental injustices imposed on the Appalachian land and people. Most sociological and historical accounts of the Land Study focus on the process of participatory action research and the work of the project’s Task Force. However, over 50 citizen researchers also participated in the study. These citizen researchers encountered rich learning experiences as they struggled against scientific, corporate, and governmental power. The purpose of this oral history study was to discover the learning and experiences of citizen researchers involved with the Appalachian Land Ownership Study of 1979-1981. Significant themes emerged which contribute to understanding the complex personal, cultural, and social framework for environmental adult education. First, the Appalachian backdrop was a critical context for informal and experiential learning from the land and its people. Second, the Appalachian Ownership Task Force leaders were critical environmental adult educators who facilitated the learning of citizen researchers through dialogue. Third, agency was fostered as citizen researchers were moved to act in defense of a threatened lifeworld, and thus also became critical environmental adult educators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004062
- Subject Headings
- Adult education, Appalachian Region -- Environmental aspects, Environmental education, Human beings -- Influence of environment, Land tenure -- Appalachian Region, Appalachian Land Ownership Task Force
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Reliability and validation study of the online instinctual variant questionnaire.
- Creator
- Andre, Sherry, Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
Leaders often manage both chaos and diversity. We can improve our leadership effectiveness by better understanding our motives and behaviors, and those of our followers. A potential tool for leadership development is the Instinctual Variant Questionnaire (IVQ). Based on Enneagram theory (pronounced “ANY-a-gram”), this online instrument is designed to assist users in identifying how three behavioral drives, or variants, may be helping or hindering their dispositions. Each reside in us, but one...
Show moreLeaders often manage both chaos and diversity. We can improve our leadership effectiveness by better understanding our motives and behaviors, and those of our followers. A potential tool for leadership development is the Instinctual Variant Questionnaire (IVQ). Based on Enneagram theory (pronounced “ANY-a-gram”), this online instrument is designed to assist users in identifying how three behavioral drives, or variants, may be helping or hindering their dispositions. Each reside in us, but one typically dominates, one supports, and one tends to impede our behaviors and motives. Through an understanding of one’s variants and order of preference, it is possible to increase self-awareness of our motives and behaviors. While the IVQ proposes to measure one’s preferred order of variants, no formal test of reliability and/or validity was found published prior to this study. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and criterion-related validity of the IVQ. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha.Results indicated alpha values between .82 and .85 for the three variants measured,suggesting internal reliability.Validity was tested using data collected from a 120-person sample. The instrument’s results were compared to self-reported primary variant types obtained from those who had a high confidence level in accurately identifying their most dominant type. The IVQ was found to be a strong predictor of the three self-reported variant types. Three binary logistic regression models were run. Omnibus tests were significant for all three models at the p < .001 level (self-preservation chi-square statistic = 82.57, social chi-square statistic = 56.47, and sexual chi-square statistic = 51.77). A multinomial regression model, using self-reported dominant types as the dependent variable and IVQ scores as the independent variable, confirmed predictability of the IVQ. When z-scores were obtained based on the classification hit-rates from all four independent models, classification accuracy was found to be a significant improvement over guessing. Further analysis also suggested age, gender, marital status, education level, or number of years spent studying the Enneagram do not factor into IVQ results. Support for the IVQ to beused as a tool by leaders to better understand themselves and their followers is presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004075, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004075
- Subject Headings
- Communication in education, Educational leadership, Enneagram, Motivation in education, Performance, Personality development
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An examination of biomedical intellectual reputation in relationship to graduates’ productivity, regional innovation and absorptive capacity at selected universities worldwide.
- Creator
- Cavanaugh, Gesulla, Wright, Dianne A., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was first to determine factors associated with intellectual reputation, specifically among selected biomedical departments worldwide within the university setting. Second, the study aimed to examine intellectual reputation in relationship to doctoral graduates’ productivity in the biomedical sciences and in relationship to organizational biomedical advancement and productivity. Third, the study aimed to visualize a spatial relationship between intellectual reputation...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was first to determine factors associated with intellectual reputation, specifically among selected biomedical departments worldwide within the university setting. Second, the study aimed to examine intellectual reputation in relationship to doctoral graduates’ productivity in the biomedical sciences and in relationship to organizational biomedical advancement and productivity. Third, the study aimed to visualize a spatial relationship between intellectual reputation and local organizational biomedical advancement and productivity in the United States and the United Kingdom. Finally, a simulated research-based model was proposed for understanding hospital productivity. The study used quantitative analysis in order to achieve these goals. The Geographic Information System (GIS) and Geocommons were used to visualize possible relationship between universities and hospitals in different regions. The findings from this study suggest that the university’s research intensity, having a Nobel Laureate on staff, Hirsch Index of the most prominent researcher on staff, scientific patent, scientific publications, and affiliation with multiple countries are good predictors of intellectual reputation. Correlation analysis suggests that university intellectual reputation is associated with doctoral graduates’ productivity. When examining the relationship between the university and hospitals, university intellectual reputation was positively correlated with hospital biomedical advancement, r= .445, p =0.001. Hospital productivity was significantly correlated with university intellectual reputation, r= .322, p =0.001. University intellectual reputation was significantly correlated with hospital capacity to absorb knowledge (r= 0.211, p =0.005) and knowledge spillover (r=.242, p =0.001). Regression analysis reveals that hospital capacity to absorb knowledge and knowledge spillover are good predictors of hospital biomedical advancement, F (2, 176) = 52.637, p = 0.001. Hospital capacity to absorb knowledge, affiliation with a university, intellectual reputation of the affiliated university, and distance between the hospital and the affiliated university were shown to be good predictors to hospital productivity, F (4, 106) = 11.115, p = 0.001. Visual examination of the hospitals suggests that when the universities publish at a large quantity, this tends to influence the hospitals within the area to publish a large quantity as well. Additionally, hospitals that are more productive tend to cluster around universities with higher intellectual reputation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004090, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004090
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- Measurement, Educational productivity -- Measurement, Universities and colleges -- Ratings and rankings
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Social impact of entrepreneurial immigrants on Florida’s gold coast.
- Creator
- Coltea, Noemi, Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
At the dawn of a new presidential election, we are reminded that what separates the United States from the rest of the world are the immigrants who came here in the pursuit of the American Dream. These immigrants do not just come to the United States as workers, but also as consumers and entrepreneurs who contribute to the American economy, and use the profits created by their successful entrepreneurship(s) in a way that they become catalysts of change. None of the studies have managed to...
Show moreAt the dawn of a new presidential election, we are reminded that what separates the United States from the rest of the world are the immigrants who came here in the pursuit of the American Dream. These immigrants do not just come to the United States as workers, but also as consumers and entrepreneurs who contribute to the American economy, and use the profits created by their successful entrepreneurship(s) in a way that they become catalysts of change. None of the studies have managed to track the qualities and perceptions of these entrepreneurial immigrants turned philanthropists since the 1940’s. By focusing on their life experiences using an instrumental case study approach, we start to form the profile of the modern day immigrant entrepreneur and philanthropist by analyzing them through five lenses: immigration, adult education, entrepreneurship, leadership, and philanthropy. Using these five lenses, we can better understand the optative aspects of entrepreneurial immigrantship as a part of social impact on Florida’s Gold Coast. Their core family values of tithing and lending a helping hand to those in need transfer into social activism in terms of donations of wealth and donations of time. Although they do not consider themselves leaders in the communities they live and work in, the research findings are quite the opposite. They are socially involved through memberships and leadership positions on local, national, and international non- profit boards, they spearhead major fundraising events and initiatives, and they establish private or corporate foundations and even support candidates seeking political office, whether here or abroad. In essence, they became philanthropists and community activists, who by virtue of immigrating and opening their businesses here add value to Florida’s Gold Coast.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004093, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004093
- Subject Headings
- Emigration and immigration -- Economic aspects, Immigrants -- United States -- Florida -- History, New business enterprises, Social entrepreneurship., Success in business
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of the four pillars on statewide high school graduation rates.
- Creator
- Daniel, Harry M., Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study investigated the relationship of statewide high school graduation rates of student ethnic groups from 2002 to 2006 to the four policy pillars of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001: Accountability for Results; Expanded Flexibility and Local Control; Expanded Options for Parents, Strengthening Teacher Quality. The quantitative, non-experimental, multivariate, correlational design addressed four research questions and six hypotheses. The research population was composed of...
Show moreThis study investigated the relationship of statewide high school graduation rates of student ethnic groups from 2002 to 2006 to the four policy pillars of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001: Accountability for Results; Expanded Flexibility and Local Control; Expanded Options for Parents, Strengthening Teacher Quality. The quantitative, non-experimental, multivariate, correlational design addressed four research questions and six hypotheses. The research population was composed of high school students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The predictor variables were the four policy pillars themselves. Data were collected through archival reports from the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and State Accountability Report Workbooks provided by state departments of education to create an index of implementation to determine the extent to which the four policy pillars were implemented. The criterion variable was high school graduation rate split across student ethnic groups. Graduation rates of subgroup student populations were collected from the Average Freshman Graduation Rates archives for the ninth grade cohort entering in 2001 and exiting in 2006. Data were analyzed both by a one-factor correlational analysis of covariance with one covariate to determine the impact of each NCLB policy pillar, and by a four-factor analysis of covariance with one covariate to determine the impact of all NCLB policy pillars together. The study found that no significant relationships existed between any of the four NCLB policy pillars, singularly or between all four of the policy pillars together, and statewide high school graduation rates among any student racial or ethnic subgroups for the academic years covered in the study. Reasons for the lack of significant relationships are a source for further study. It is recommended that such studies examine the effect of policy implementation that currently allows: (a) each state to set its own test and measurement standards or its own criteria for teacher certification; (b) parents to keep their children in failing schools even if those children are also failing; and (c) each state to underfund mandates.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004099, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004099
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- United States, Education and state -- United States, Educational accountability -- United States, Educational equalization -- United States, School improvement programs -- United States, United States -- No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A study to compare the critical thinking dispositions between Chinese and American college students.
- Creator
- Dennett, Susan K., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative research study was to compare Chinese and American students’ inclined level of critical thinking using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) (Insight Assessment, 2013). The literature of Paul and Elder (1996, 2000, 2005, 2010), Facione and Facione (1992, 1996) and Brookfield (2005, 2010, 2013) and the conceptual framework in this study provided the foundation for the main research question of whether there are differences between...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative research study was to compare Chinese and American students’ inclined level of critical thinking using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) (Insight Assessment, 2013). The literature of Paul and Elder (1996, 2000, 2005, 2010), Facione and Facione (1992, 1996) and Brookfield (2005, 2010, 2013) and the conceptual framework in this study provided the foundation for the main research question of whether there are differences between Chinese and American students’ scores on the seven individual scales and their total score on the CCTDI. The Sample included 41 Chinese and 50 American undergraduate and graduate students at Florida Atlantic University, a regional research university located in southeast Florida. Independent t-tests concluded that there were no differences between the 41 Chinese students and the 50 American students regarding their critical thinking dispositions on each of seven scales on the CCTDI. A factorial analysis of variance measured moderator questions to determine whether there was a difference between Chinese and American students’ CCTDI scores based on student gender, discipline of study, undergraduate or graduate status, or enrollment as an undergraduate within the United States. There were significant differences between the critical thinking dispositions of Chinese and American undergraduate and graduate students when comparing the scale of open mindedness and gender. There were also significant differences for the scale of confidence in reasoning and discipline. For the remaining questions, there were no significant differences. A Pearson’s correlation determined that there was no relationship between the length of time students had been in the United States and their scores on the CCTDI. Educational implications include that when problem-solving skills are developed in the college setting, critical thinking can be cultivated to help prepare students for work in future employment settings. Social implications include the use of critical thinking when faced with decision making in adults’ lives, as well as in their daily work. This study may be the foundation for future studies. Finally, educators may find the CCTDI helpful in positioning students’ critical thinking dispositions prior to learning or training activities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004100, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004100
- Subject Headings
- Behaviorism (Psychology), Critical thinking, Learning, Psychology of, Reasoning (Psychology), Thought and thinking
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Resegregation: the impact on education.
- Creator
- King, Tameka L., Shockley, Robert, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This qualitative study examined the impact and implications of resegregation on students of color by capturing and analyzing the lived experiences of school principals leading high poverty and low poverty schools where resegregation was occurring. Despite the growing concern for resegregation, little has been down to reverse the adverse affects of this phenomenon. The body of research that has explored the essence of resegregation has in small volumes acknowledged the perception of school...
Show moreThis qualitative study examined the impact and implications of resegregation on students of color by capturing and analyzing the lived experiences of school principals leading high poverty and low poverty schools where resegregation was occurring. Despite the growing concern for resegregation, little has been down to reverse the adverse affects of this phenomenon. The body of research that has explored the essence of resegregation has in small volumes acknowledged the perception of school principals. A much clearer portrait of the impact resegregation was having on schools as perceived by school principals offered an in-depth understanding of the way in which policy and practices affect schools undergoing resegregation. Hence, this study used the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding and meaning of the complex experiences of resegregation from the perspective of school principals. The data was explicated by using Hycner’s (1999) five step process. The findings and conclusion of this study were intended to inform policy alternatives and practices through aggregating collected and analyzed perspectives of school principals of high poverty and low poverty schools.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004129
- Subject Headings
- Children of minorities -- Education., Segregation in education -- Government policy., Racism in education.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Does leadership matter?: the relationship of school leadership to a safe school climate,bullying, and fighting in middle school.
- Creator
- Leff, Jonathan M., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between transformational principal leadership style, a safe school climate, and school safety (specifically, the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents) in Broward County, Florida’s middle schools. This study also investigated if a relationship exists between transformational leadership and a safe school climate, transformational leadership, and the number of bullying incidents and student...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between transformational principal leadership style, a safe school climate, and school safety (specifically, the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents) in Broward County, Florida’s middle schools. This study also investigated if a relationship exists between transformational leadership and a safe school climate, transformational leadership, and the number of bullying incidents and student fights, and a safe school climate and the number of bullying incidents and student fights. The study surveyed 12 middle schools located in a large, urban district in south Florida. Principal leadership style was determined from the MLQ-5X, school safety climate was determined from the school district’s Annual Customer Survey, and the reported number of fights and bullying incidents recorded in the school district’s Discipline Management System were collected via records request for each participating middle school and tallied. Pearson correlations were conducted to examine the bivariate association between the leadership dimensions, a safe school climate, and school violence. Separate multiple linear regression models were used to examine the following relationships: leadership style and the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents; leadership style and a safe school climate; and a safe school climate and the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents. The findings suggested that there were no statistically significant correlations between leadership style (transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire), and bullying or fighting, and no statistically significant correlation between principal leadership style and middle school climate. There was a statistically significant correlation found between school climate and the number of student fights. The significance of this finding is important because it illustrates the adverse impact fighting has on student safety, which, in turn, adversely affects the school climate. Therefore, it is up to the school leader to create a climate where everyone feels safe can focus on student achievement.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004133, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004133
- Subject Headings
- Bullying in schools -- Prevention, Education, Secondary -- Sociological aspects, Educational leadership, Educational leadership, Middle school students -- Attitudes, Middle school teachers -- Attitudes, School management and organization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The impact of students’ choice of time of day for class activity and their sleep quality on academic performance in multidisciplinary distance education courses.
- Creator
- Miles, Jessica A., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this research was to identify the impact of students’ choice of time of day for class activity and their sleep quality on academic performance in multidisciplinary distance education courses at a southeastern U.S. state college. The research addressed the relationship of other individual student characteristics (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational background, or course workload) and external factors (i.e., marital status, hours of employment, part-time or full-time...
Show moreThe purpose of this research was to identify the impact of students’ choice of time of day for class activity and their sleep quality on academic performance in multidisciplinary distance education courses at a southeastern U.S. state college. The research addressed the relationship of other individual student characteristics (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational background, or course workload) and external factors (i.e., marital status, hours of employment, part-time or full-time status, or caretaker responsibilities represented by the number of children and/or elderly that the student was actively caring for in their home) to the students’ academic performance and to the students’ choice of time of day for class activity and sleep quality. This study analyzed distance education students’ Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Global Sleep Quality Scores, their demographic and external factor survey responses, a test grade, and the time of day that the student submitted their test. This study targeted the distance education student population, as they are part of a rapidly growing sector within higher education, and they had previously not served as the primary subjects in research regarding sleep quality and external factor impacts on academic success. Analyses of 208 distance education students resulted in the following research findings: sleep quality was found to be related to academic success, with significant findings of, for example, poorer sleep quality correlating with a lower test grade (r = -0.15; p = .03), likewise the number of hours spent working was related to academic success, with a significant finding of more hours spent working correlating with a lower grade (r = 0.377; p = .008). In this study most other factors were found to have no significant relationship with a students’ grades (age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational background, or course workload, marital status, or caretaker responsibilities). These research findings may enlighten students of the potential impacts of taking distance education classes if they anticipate having to work extensively or if they have, or expect to have, poor sleep quality. Additionally, educational institutions and faculty can learn ways to design better distance education courses and provide improved guidance for students to encourage academic success.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004138, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004138
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement, Distance education, Performance, Sleep -- Physiological aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Perceptions of lawyers on career transition, transferable skills, and preparation for community college leadership.
- Creator
- Nguyen, Thomas T., Floyd, Deborah L., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine perspectives of attorneys who have transitioned into community college leadership. The study sought to answer questions concerning why attorneys decided to change careers, how they transition into new careers, and to what extent their legal backgrounds helped them in educational leadership. Interviews were conducted of 20 former attorneys across America on their perspectives about career transition and leadership competencies to...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine perspectives of attorneys who have transitioned into community college leadership. The study sought to answer questions concerning why attorneys decided to change careers, how they transition into new careers, and to what extent their legal backgrounds helped them in educational leadership. Interviews were conducted of 20 former attorneys across America on their perspectives about career transition and leadership competencies to determine whether they might serve as a viable source for leadership. Participant perceptions revealed a transition to make a difference, the transition process was smooth, and transition was made for a better work environment. Participants recommended for career changers coming from law to informally learn about community colleges, gain work experience therein, and to earn another degree. Participants reported high abilities in communications and professionalism, which are current AACC leadership competencies. Some participants reported low collaboration competencies. Participants also recommended positive reinforcement, teamwork, and problem-solving as additional AACC leadership competencies. Moreover, participants reported other transferable skills including legal expertise, business sense, and analytical skills. Recommendations from this study include a policy and practice of considering lawyers for educational leadership provided they demonstrate work and commitment toward a transition into community college leadership.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004144, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004144
- Subject Headings
- Career changes -- United States, Community college presidents, Executive ability, Law -- Vocational guidance -- United States, Leadership in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Adult learning for healthy aging: an investigation of health literacy and technology use in older adults.
- Creator
- Swann, Elizabeth G., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study explored the healthy aging process by: (a) examining the selected demographics of older adults in South Florida; (b) examining technology use of older adults in South Florida; (c) examining the health literacy levels of older adults in South Florida; (d) determining whether a relationship exists between older adults living in South Florida use of technology and their health literacy levels; and (e) evaluating the effects of health literacy as it relates to technology use in older...
Show moreThis study explored the healthy aging process by: (a) examining the selected demographics of older adults in South Florida; (b) examining technology use of older adults in South Florida; (c) examining the health literacy levels of older adults in South Florida; (d) determining whether a relationship exists between older adults living in South Florida use of technology and their health literacy levels; and (e) evaluating the effects of health literacy as it relates to technology use in older adults in South Florida. Variables explored included health literacy, education, ethnicity, and technology use. The sample study included 102 older adults (age > 60) living in South Florida that had completed profiles on the South Florida Quality Aging Registry, a part of the Healthy Aging Research Initiative (HARI). The sample size represented 22.3% of the total South Florida Quality Aging Registry population. The ethnicities of the participants among the South Florida Quality Aging Registry were African American (17%); Afro Caribbean (7.8%); Hispanic (10.7%); and European American (63.7%). The education mean was 15, indicating that the majority of participants had an education level equivalent to completing high school. The mean health literacy score was 3.88, demonstrating that the majority of the participants had moderate levels of health literacy. The mean technology use score was 7.5 on a scale of one through ten, indicating that the majority of the participants had a moderate level of technology use. Analysis of variance, correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis was used to explore the variables that may influence health literacy. There was a statistically significant difference among Afro Caribbean and African American, Afro Caribbean and European American, European American and Hispanic ethnicities related to their health literacy skill level (p < .01). Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference among Afro Caribbean American and European American ethnicities and technology use (p. < .01).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004165, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004165
- Subject Headings
- Aging -- Psychological aspects, Aging -- Social aspects, Cognition in old age, Computers and older people, Health behavior, Internet and older people, Older people -- Health and hygiene, Technology and older people
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Virtual K-12 leadership: a postmodern paradigm.
- Creator
- Tucker, Tommy N., Bogotch, Ira, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This phenomenological, mixed-method study compared and contrasted virtual K- 12 school leadership with traditional face-to-face leadership. All 106 participants served for a minimum of two years in each setting. The study was conducted in two phases in order to reveal consensus and dissensus points of view. Conceptually, a postmodern framework was used to deliberately create spaces for new leadership ideas to emerge through surveys and interviews. The data included teachers and leaders from...
Show moreThis phenomenological, mixed-method study compared and contrasted virtual K- 12 school leadership with traditional face-to-face leadership. All 106 participants served for a minimum of two years in each setting. The study was conducted in two phases in order to reveal consensus and dissensus points of view. Conceptually, a postmodern framework was used to deliberately create spaces for new leadership ideas to emerge through surveys and interviews. The data included teachers and leaders from charter, district, and state virtual K-12 schools. Phase one of the study used a modified Delphi methodology, consisting of an Internet-based survey and semantic differential survey. The second phase was a round of interviews, seeking similarities and differences between leadership in the two domains. Using the lens of postmodernism, the nuances of difference arising from contextual factors were examined, along with the often-unheard voices of dissensus within the ranks of virtual K-12 leaders and teachers. Among the major findings, the study revealed no significant differences in leadership between traditional and virtual K-12 leaders. A new paradigm of “leadership by design” was uncovered as one possible means of innovating through virtual K-12 leadership.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004168, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004168
- Subject Headings
- Education -- Effect of technological innovations on, Educational leadership, School management and organization, Virtual work teams
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- In-country: identification of transformational learning and leadership in human rights observers.
- Creator
- McDonald, Nancy D., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, has suffered through centuries of disenfranchisement, poverty, slavery, environmental disasters, internecine racial prejudice, and foreign infringement. Its people won independence from France in 1804 but only at the cost of huge human and financial losses. Since then, Haiti has known little freedom or democracy. In 1991, the first truly democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was elected (with a 67% majority). Nine...
Show moreHaiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, has suffered through centuries of disenfranchisement, poverty, slavery, environmental disasters, internecine racial prejudice, and foreign infringement. Its people won independence from France in 1804 but only at the cost of huge human and financial losses. Since then, Haiti has known little freedom or democracy. In 1991, the first truly democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was elected (with a 67% majority). Nine months later, he was deposed by a military coup d'état. During that time and the chaotic years that followed, groups of human rights observers traveled to Haiti in an attempt to record and report publically, officially, what was actually happening to the Haitian people and their institutions. Although much has been written about the country during that period, there have been no studies focused on the human rights observers who were intimately involved with the people and the country. These groups and other groups participating in similar situations have not been studied and, yet, research in that area might provide important insights in the field of social justice. It is important to identify what encourages individuals to become a part of the effort to make a positive difference in the lives of others, in the most adverse situations, the process by which human rights observers become engaged, and how that engagement affects their lives both during and after their in-country experiences. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to see if there are commonalities (e.g., socio-cultural influence, self-directed learning readiness, etc.) among the initial in-country experiences of several human rights observers and further to discover what, if any, effect those experiences had on their leadership styles. The study identified socio-cultural influences (self-directed learning readiness and familial, religious, educational impact); motivational factors; methods of processing the experience (immediate responses of connectedness/love and reasoned responses involving individual and group reflection); and multiple outcomes (spiritualty, social action, and creativity). The overarching findings included identification of transformational learning in the participants and the evolution of their leadership from the servant model into a transformational/chaos model, including reflection in and on action as an operating context.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004216, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004216
- Subject Headings
- Educational sociology, Human rights -- Haiti, Human rights workers -- Haiti, Leadership, Leadership -- Psychological aspects, Social justice
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Policy and practice: an analysis of 2001 Florida State Bill 1162.
- Creator
- Hrabak, Michael R., Floyd, Deborah L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examined the initially intended outcomes of the 200 I Florida Senate Bill 1162, a Florida law that established an educational policy granting community colleges the ability to confer baccalaureate degrees in teacher education programs. The intended outcomes included teachers filling growing vacancies statewide. This study found that 69% of Florida College System graduates from 2004-2010 found employment in Florida as teachers, and in fact, the overall percentage outpaced that of...
Show moreThis study examined the initially intended outcomes of the 200 I Florida Senate Bill 1162, a Florida law that established an educational policy granting community colleges the ability to confer baccalaureate degrees in teacher education programs. The intended outcomes included teachers filling growing vacancies statewide. This study found that 69% of Florida College System graduates from 2004-2010 found employment in Florida as teachers, and in fact, the overall percentage outpaced that of students graduating from a Florida State University System institution. This study also uncovered positive relationships between employment and individual student characteristics such as a graduates' age, major, and year they graduated, impacting their likelihood for employment. Overall, this study determined that the 200 I Florida Senate Bill 1162 is succeeding in fulfilling its intended outcome of producing community college baccalaureate degree holders that do indeed find employment in Florida as teachers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004251
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploration of the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness.
- Creator
- Amey, Beth E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The research instrument utilized was the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) constructed by Guglielmino (1978). The SDLRS is a self-report questionnaire with 58 Likert scale items designed to measure the attitudes, values and abilities of learners relating to their readiness to engage in self-directed learning. A pretest, treatment, posttest design was utilized. Demographic data were collected with the pretest administration and level of satisfaction information was collected with the posttest administration. The bachelor's level social work students demonstrated statistically significant differences in the pre and posttest SDLRS scores while the master's level social work students' changes in readiness for self-directed learning were not significant. It is important to note that the master's level social work students spent only half the amount of hours in the field education as the bachelor's level students at the time of the posttest. Correlations between change score from pretest to posttest SDLRS with students' previous exposure to the field of social work, prior experiential learning in a social work program, their satisfaction with the experiential learning component, and demographic factors of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, number of children, and number of years pursuing degree were not significant., The initial SDLRS scores of the bachelor's level students were found to be consistent with those of nursing students previously scored on the SDLRS. In the ANOVA of all groups, significant differences were not found with the four groups of social work students in their change scores of pretest and posttest SDLRS or their overall level of satisfaction with the field experience and overall level of satisfaction with the quality of the supervisor in the field experience. The internship did not demonstrate particular merit for improving readiness for self-directed learning except for the bachelor's level students. However, students were satisfied with the experience and felt it changed their perceptions of self and others.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107799
- Subject Headings
- Experiential learning, Adult learning, Learning, Psychology of, Self-culture
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A cost-effectiveness analysis of two community college baccalaureate programs in Florida: an exploratory study.
- Creator
- Bemmel, Edwin P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this case study was to determine which, if any, alternative in delivering baccalaureate programs in the state of Florida was the most cost-effective one. This exploratory study focused on gaining an understanding of the cost effectiveness of two baccalaureate programs offered at a Florida community college to two like programs at a Florida university using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The researcher interviewed five community college and three State Department of...
Show moreThe purpose of this case study was to determine which, if any, alternative in delivering baccalaureate programs in the state of Florida was the most cost-effective one. This exploratory study focused on gaining an understanding of the cost effectiveness of two baccalaureate programs offered at a Florida community college to two like programs at a Florida university using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The researcher interviewed five community college and three State Department of Education administrators during the Fall of 2007 and analyzed expenditure and effectiveness data from 2003-04 through 2006-07 to determine the cost effectiveness for the programs at each institution. The study revealed that the university and community college programs were equally effective as measured by student graduation and test scores. The community college baccalaureate programs were more cost effective, however, using a formula of per-student state funding combined with student cost. Th e lower per-student funding and student tuition charged resulted in the community college baccalaureate being a less expensive alternative of offering baccalaureate degrees to the state and the students. Using Henry Levin's ingredients model of measuring cost effectiveness, the quantitative analysis of the study revealed that that the university programs were more cost effective in the early years, but the differences diminished over time. Using Levin's model for comparison, the researcher concluded that increased growth in the enrollment of the programs combined with the implementation of effectiveness measures comparable to those of the university would render baccalaureate programs at the community colleges more cost effective., Conclusions based on the formula of state and student cost were based on factual data, while conclusions based on Levin's ingredients model were based on assumptions and estimates using a weighting factor along with an indirect cost rate for Proxim University. The study identified factors other than the cost effectiveness that could make the community college baccalaureate a more attractive alternative and concluded with recommendations for practice, policy, and future research. Differences in state and local laws, or economic, geographical, and environmental differences combined with the nature of this exploratory case study limit the generalizability of the results of this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107803
- Subject Headings
- Education, Higher, Forecasting, Community colleges, Higher education and state
- Format
- Document (PDF)