Current Search: Goldsmith, Ronald (x) » Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (x)
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- Title
- "Behold Me and This Great Babylon I Have Built": The Life and Work of Sophia Sawyer, 19th Century Missionary and Teacher Among the Cherokees.
- Creator
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Castelow, Teri L., MacDonald, Victoria Maria, Green, Elna, Milton, Sande, Shargel, Emanuel, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Sophia Sawyer (1792-1853) was born and educated in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She was a strong-willed and independent woman who turned to teaching as a means of support after the death of her parents. At age thirty-one, she joined the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions and was stationed at the Brainerd Mission in Tennessee. Sawyer exemplifies the first generation of women to receive an academy education and become teachers themselves. This dissertation will examine the...
Show moreSophia Sawyer (1792-1853) was born and educated in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She was a strong-willed and independent woman who turned to teaching as a means of support after the death of her parents. At age thirty-one, she joined the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions and was stationed at the Brainerd Mission in Tennessee. Sawyer exemplifies the first generation of women to receive an academy education and become teachers themselves. This dissertation will examine the structure and environment of the schools in which Sophia Sawyer, missionary educator of females and Native Americans, taught the Cherokee students in the missions of Tennessee and Georgia, 1823-1836, and later in the Fayetteville Female Seminary, 1839-1853. In the large number of letters written to, by, and about Sophia Sawyer and her work among the Cherokees, it is revealed that she was a religious and pious person who felt a calling to Christianize and educate the Cherokees. She also displayed considerable respect for their culture, something which is often overlooked in many histories of White/Native American encounters. Sawyer appears to have cared deeply about her students, and the techniques that she used reflect this depth of feeling. The existing written opinions of her are either very positive or very negative, but even her detractors respected her commitment to education. Cherokee leaders such as John Ridge recognized this dedication. It is possible they held Sawyer in such high esteem because of her ability to look beyond the stereotypes held by many other missionaries about Indians. She created a classroom atmosphere which encouraged but challenged the students to learn English, as well as subjects similar to those taught in schools for Anglo-American children. That Sawyer was able to accomplish this with few resources and textbooks is an accomplishment worth examining in light of our modern concern about multi-cultural education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-4064
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- "I'm a Product of Everything I've Been Through": A Narrative Study of the Cultural Identity Construction of Bosnian Muslim Female Refugee Students.
- Creator
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Clark, Elizabeth Hoffman, Milligan, Jeffrey A., MacDonald, Victoria-Maria, Hasson, Deborah, Beach, King, Shargel, Emanuel, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy...
Show moreClark, Elizabeth Hoffman, Milligan, Jeffrey A., MacDonald, Victoria-Maria, Hasson, Deborah, Beach, King, Shargel, Emanuel, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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Using Bourdieu's theory of social capital and cultural reproduction as a conceptual framework and narrative inquiry as a methodology, this study explores the role of schooling in the cultural identity development of adolescent females from Bosnian Muslim communities who entered the United States as refugees. The five participants live in a Southeastern city pseudonymously referred to as "Parksburg." Each woman arrived in the U.S. during elementary school years and was either in postsecondary...
Show moreUsing Bourdieu's theory of social capital and cultural reproduction as a conceptual framework and narrative inquiry as a methodology, this study explores the role of schooling in the cultural identity development of adolescent females from Bosnian Muslim communities who entered the United States as refugees. The five participants live in a Southeastern city pseudonymously referred to as "Parksburg." Each woman arrived in the U.S. during elementary school years and was either in postsecondary study or nearing high school graduation at the time of the study. The women's personal narratives reveal a common desire to develop bicultural competence in social as well as academic settings. The self-reported degree of success varied, as women who had chosen to socialize primarily within a peer group of other Bosnian refugee youth felt a stronger connection to their Bosnian language and identity as young adults; this cultural self-identification as Bosnian corresponded with a desire to follow Bosnian cultural practices, marry a Bosnian man and make frequent return visits to Bosnia as well as follow Muslim religious observances. Students whose social and academic realms at school included few other Bosnians were much more likely to have constructed cultural identities in which being American or international was primary and a Bosnian cultural heritage was secondary or one of several equal cultural influences. Race played an important role in cultural identity development, as all the students were aware of the pervasiveness of White privilege and the degree to which their adjustment was easier than that of other refugee and immigrant peers because of their "White" appearance. Most of the students felt relief from their ability to blend into mainstream White U.S. culture and placed a high value on being able to "pass" as non-immigrant White. This desire to blend in led to a conscious choice to downplay Bosnian language and Muslim religious heritage in school and social settings. The two students who had attended schools with a majority of African-American students constructed their racial identities in light of their social context in high school; they insisted to their classmates that they were Bosnian and therefore differentiated themselves from the White American students. This public self-identification as "European" rather than "White" extended to linguistic identity development, as one student adopted African-American Vernacular English as the exclusive form of English she used. Racial identity issues reflect many of Bourdieu's concepts including cultural reproduction, symbolic violence, and the social capital associated with race in contemporary U.S. culture. Narrative data also reveals the challenges of the multiple "uprootings" faced by many refugees who are forced to leave their home country for another country where they may live for several years only to be uprooted and resettled yet again in a third permanent country of residence. The concept of a refugee identity and other elements of cultural identity common to many refugees, such as ethnic conflict and the experience of war trauma, are also discussed. Analysis and interpretation also address a number of aspects of cultural identity development revealed as significant in the narrative data. These include the importance of self-selected cultural identity labels as well as the role of the homeland in the development of cultural identity. Ethnic, religious, and linguistic facets of identity are also addressed as portions of participant narrative illustrate the complexity of cultural identity development among these young women who differ in many ways yet share common struggles of developing bicultural or multiple cultural identities in the United States.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3595
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- "One for All and All for One": Assessing the Implementation of One Comprehensive School-Wide Discipline Program in a Primary School in Southwest Georgia.
- Creator
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Ward, Linda T., Beckham, Joseph, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Irvin, Judith, Guthrie, Kathy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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In schools across America, school safety and student discipline remain primary concerns for all stakeholders in the education process. Researchers and educators suggest that implementing a school-wide discipline plan tailored to meet the needs of a particular school setting is one solution to the complex behavior management problem. The limited research on the actual impact of using a school-wide discipline program in specific school settings indicates that further investigation regarding...
Show moreIn schools across America, school safety and student discipline remain primary concerns for all stakeholders in the education process. Researchers and educators suggest that implementing a school-wide discipline plan tailored to meet the needs of a particular school setting is one solution to the complex behavior management problem. The limited research on the actual impact of using a school-wide discipline program in specific school settings indicates that further investigation regarding these programs is warranted. The primary purpose of this longitudinal study was to gain insights and understandings of the implementation of a comprehensive behavior management program, Discipline with Unity, within a specific primary school setting in Southwest Georgia across a three-year time frame, 2005-2008. The goal was to assess the impact of program implementation on (a) student behavior, (b) teachers' perceptions toward behavior management, and (c) school climate. Revelatory themes emerging from teachers' narrative comments along with consequences, both intended and unintended, of program implementation were also identified and discussed. Furthering research in this area should add information to the existing body of knowledge regarding the process of developing and implementing a positive school-wide discipline initiative oriented toward preventing behavior problems. However, the results of this study may not be generalized to other settings. The descriptive case study utilized a mixed methods non-experimental research design with an emphasis on qualitative approaches to data analysis. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were the primary sources of data collection and allowed the researcher to gain access to more descriptive information while providing insight into teachers' perspectives of program implementation. Qualitative data analysis techniques were used to derive themes and understandings of the behavior initiative. Details of a story emerged throughout the guided inquiry process to describe program implementation as perceived by school staff. Quantitative data were collected through office discipline referral data, school-administered discipline surveys, and district-administered Correlates of Effective Schools Staff Perception Surveys. Descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, independent t tests, and one-way between groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed to help analyze and evaluate the school-wide program's impact. A variety of factors appear to have influenced the implementation of the comprehensive Discipline with Unity behavior management program. Results of the investigation indicated that this school-wide initiative brought about a number of changes in beliefs, teaching approaches, and discipline. Findings also suggested that implementation of the school-wide program had a generally positive impact on student behavior, teachers' perceptions of behavior management, and school climate. However, concerns regarding program implementation were also identified. Several of the prominent themes related to the outcomes of the study were the chronic offender, consistency in program implementation, and resistance to change. Specifically, recommendations were offered for the school-level educational practitioners implementing the program, district-level personnel, and future researchers in the process of school-wide behavior management program implementation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1242
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- "True Spirit of Pioneer Traditions": An Historical Anaylsis of the University of Florida's First Dean of Women, Marna Brady.
- Creator
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Herron, Rita I., MacDonald, Victoria-Maria, Schwartz, Robert A., Shargel, Emanuel, Milton, Sande, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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The dissertation examines the position of Dean of Women at the University of Florida (UF) and the first woman appointed to the post, Dr. Marna Brady. The scope of the study is from the position's creation on UF's campus, in 1947, until Dean Brady's resignation in 1966. The study examines the shifts in Brady's responsibilities in light of her advocacy role, and the changes occurring on campus concerning female students. The historical backdrop of Brady's tenure included the entrance of ex-GIs...
Show moreThe dissertation examines the position of Dean of Women at the University of Florida (UF) and the first woman appointed to the post, Dr. Marna Brady. The scope of the study is from the position's creation on UF's campus, in 1947, until Dean Brady's resignation in 1966. The study examines the shifts in Brady's responsibilities in light of her advocacy role, and the changes occurring on campus concerning female students. The historical backdrop of Brady's tenure included the entrance of ex-GIs into higher education via the GI Bill, the judgment and implementation of Brown vs. the Board of Education, the McCarthy Era, the Civil Rights Movement, the passage of The Higher Education Act and the beginnings of the Student Movement. To uncover the history of Brady's tenure and the development of the position various primary documents were used: reports of the Dean of Women, other office correspondence and reports, newspaper articles, and published works of Dean Brady. Although there have been other works written related to Deans of Women, the amount is small compared to other topics in the realm of educational history. This dissertation is a departure from the other works concerning deans of women since it focuses upon an individual dean at a particular university and is not comparative in nature. The dissertation reveals that Brady was a significant force in forging the opportunities for female students at UF by constantly redefining her role and acting as a student advocate. She negotiated with faculty, administrators and male students' organizations on behalf of women, allowing all students the opportunity of a complete college experience including academic, social and extracurricular activities. This history considers the changes with the physical aspects of campus and the modifications of administration, staff and the students she served. Throughout her years of service, Brady held true to the idea that the Dean of Women was a professional position that lobbied for students and was not only concerned with morality issues.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-4077
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Achieving the Dream: An Assessment of Participant Institutions' Performance Using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
- Creator
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Luczyk, Sarah, Wetherell, T. K., Rice, Diana, Schwartz, Robert A., Beckham, Joseph, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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In recent years, the United States of America has fallen in international rankings regarding completion of degrees (ATD, 2011c). "The U.S. has fallen in international education rankings. In one single generation, America went from 1st to 12th in college completion rates for young adults" (ATD, 2011c). Community colleges specifically struggle with assisting students in degree attainment; less than half of community college degree-seeking students graduate within six years of matriculation (ATD...
Show moreIn recent years, the United States of America has fallen in international rankings regarding completion of degrees (ATD, 2011c). "The U.S. has fallen in international education rankings. In one single generation, America went from 1st to 12th in college completion rates for young adults" (ATD, 2011c). Community colleges specifically struggle with assisting students in degree attainment; less than half of community college degree-seeking students graduate within six years of matriculation (ATD, 2011d). Community colleges are in need of interventions that will help them increase the number of students who are retained, who transfer to four-year colleges and who graduate; essentially, they must increase student success. Achieving the DreamTM seeks to assist community colleges in increasing their student success through four primary areas: institutional change, impacting public policy, engaging the public and developing knowledge on campuses. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any difference in the graduation, retention and transfer rates of the community colleges that participate in Achieving the Dream and of those who did not, during the 2004-2007 time period. This study used Propensity Score Matching and independent t-tests to compare participants' performance with that of non-participants. Additionally, multiple regression was used to verify the results. The only statistically significant result was graduation rates in the multiple regression model. Graduation rates were 4.23% lower at Achieving the Dream schools than non-Achieving the Dream schools. The conclusion of this study is that Achieving the Dream schools were not able to reach the goals articulated by Achieving the Dream, but additional research is necessary to answer why.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5005
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- African American and Latino Student Enrollment Trends Following the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007.
- Creator
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Snead, John T., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Berry, William Dale, Tandberg, David A., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show moreSnead, John T., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Berry, William Dale, Tandberg, David A., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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According to the 2010 census, the number of African Americans rose from 34.7 million in 2000 to 38.9 million in 2010; this represented a 12% increase in ten years. Similarly during the same time period, Latinos accounted for more than 50 percent of the nation's total population growth (Flores & Oseguera, 2011; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). Yet, both groups remain underrepresented in higher education. A major determinant of college participation for underrepresented...
Show moreAccording to the 2010 census, the number of African Americans rose from 34.7 million in 2000 to 38.9 million in 2010; this represented a 12% increase in ten years. Similarly during the same time period, Latinos accounted for more than 50 percent of the nation's total population growth (Flores & Oseguera, 2011; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). Yet, both groups remain underrepresented in higher education. A major determinant of college participation for underrepresented racial minorities is the availability of funding. While individual states and institutions provide financial resources, via various measures, the federal government provides a substantial amount of need based funding in the form of Pell Grants. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA) mandates yearly increases to Pell Grant starting in 2008 and continuing until 2017. The main purpose of CCRAA is to reduce college costs and increase access. However, there is no preliminary evidence that this was accomplished for students once CCRAA was enacted, particularly those who are underrepresented and depend most on Pell Grant funding. With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to investigate the enrollment patterns of African American and Latino students after the enactment of the CCRAA. Multiple regression and fixed effects models were used to examine the enrollment of both minority groups using an institutional level analysis of four-year, degree granting postsecondary institutions. Findings from this study provided a first glimpse into the effectiveness of CCRAA in increasing first-time full time enrollment. Pell Grant increases were found to have a positive effect on Latino student enrollment at four-year institutions, both public and private. These findings have implications, particularly for policy makers and potential students, but also for higher education research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-9249
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Aligning High School and College Instruction: Preparing Students for Success in College Level Mathematics.
- Creator
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Alexander, Julie, Hu, Shouping, Dennen, Vanessa, Schwartz, Robert A., Tandberg, David, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Across the United States, students are entering college with a need for improvement in basic mathematics and communication skills. In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1908 which changed the expectations for the senior year of high school for many students. Students who score within certain levels on the mandatory high school assessment are administered a college placement test. For those students who do not meet the college level score identified by Florida's Board of...
Show moreAcross the United States, students are entering college with a need for improvement in basic mathematics and communication skills. In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1908 which changed the expectations for the senior year of high school for many students. Students who score within certain levels on the mandatory high school assessment are administered a college placement test. For those students who do not meet the college level score identified by Florida's Board of Education, enrollment in postsecondary preparatory instruction is now mandatory. Mathematics for College Readiness is the primary mathematics course delivered to satisfy this requirement. This study analyzes the impact of Mathematics for College Readiness on postsecondary course enrollment and success. In addition to statistics describing the population, logistic regression was applied to examine which factors were likely to be related to developmental education course enrollment and postsecondary course success. A series logistic regression analyses were conducted for all students and students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. The findings indicate that taking Mathematics for College Readiness helped reduce student probability of taking developmental education courses in college, particularly for African American and Female students. Although taking Mathematics for College Readiness was not related to student passing rates in college level mathematics courses, further analyses suggests that taking a senior-year mathematics course like Mathematics for College Readiness promotes student success in college level mathematics courses, particularly when compared with students who completed Algebra II. The results from this study also confirm the disparity in college readiness along the lines of race and ethnicity and high school academic achievement as reflected in student Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores. The findings from this study have strong implications for policy and practice aiming for reducing the need of developmental education in college and for improving college readiness for high school students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-8520
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- All Together Now: Barriers and Aids to Creating and Sustaining State College-University Partnerships.
- Creator
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Edel, Sharon, Hu, Shouping, Ferris, Gerald R., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Abstract/Description
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All 28 colleges of the Florida College System (FCS) have made space in their budgets and on their campuses in order to attract upper-division partners, colleges and universities that represent the State University System (SUS), Independent Colleges and Schools of Florida, and other higher education institutions nationwide. Partnership relationships such as the ones negotiated between FCS institutions and upper division schools are defined as academic strategic alliances in higher education...
Show moreAll 28 colleges of the Florida College System (FCS) have made space in their budgets and on their campuses in order to attract upper-division partners, colleges and universities that represent the State University System (SUS), Independent Colleges and Schools of Florida, and other higher education institutions nationwide. Partnership relationships such as the ones negotiated between FCS institutions and upper division schools are defined as academic strategic alliances in higher education literature. Scholars have taken this terminology from business management lexicon wherein organizations respond to a competitive market by joining forces (Das & Teng, 1997). Accordingly, scholars from both fields emphasize the concept of collaboration packed inside the strategic decision of campus leaders to pool their resources partnerships (Adegbesan & Higgins, 2011; Eckel, Hartley, & Affolter-Caine, 2004). This study explored both sides of the state college-university partnership dynamic through the eyes of the administrators using themes from Gulati’s (1998) network embeddedness framework. I employed a qualitative research design to determine the influence of alliance initiatives on the social networks involved in their implementation. I used a collective-case study approach employing data triangulation (interviews, documents, and observation) to seek out any emerging themes. I also sought out institutional data to support this study. A majority of these FCS concurrent-use arrangements have persisted while others have failed. This study contributes to higher education literature by offering a means to expand the scope of previous academic strategic alliance studies. Instead of focusing on partnership dyads, this study explored how host and partner institution administrators operate within a social network embedded at the study sites. I propose fresh perspectives to explain how each member involved within a state college’s university partnership program can assert its own needs while working in concert to define common goals and objectives. My two key findings identified the perception of lack as the primary barrier and effective communication as the most influential aid to partnership creation and maintenance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_FA2016_Edel_fsu_0071E_13539
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Analysis of Characteristics of Effective School and Business Partnerships: A Case Study of A Medium Size Florida District.
- Creator
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Cook, Sandra M., Irvin, Judith, Stepina, Lee, Thomas, Hollie, Brooks, Jeffrey, Flood, Pamela, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Increased pressures on schools have placed all stakeholders, especially principals, in a situation of needing to be fully aware of the roles and the functions necessary to provide students with the skills to be successful in the business world. Many schools and businesses are experiencing success in developing partnerships focused on various levels of involvement. In building and maintaining these linkages, the principals involved must be aware of their roles and functions within a...
Show moreIncreased pressures on schools have placed all stakeholders, especially principals, in a situation of needing to be fully aware of the roles and the functions necessary to provide students with the skills to be successful in the business world. Many schools and businesses are experiencing success in developing partnerships focused on various levels of involvement. In building and maintaining these linkages, the principals involved must be aware of their roles and functions within a partnership. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into this challenge by determining the role, actions, and characteristics of effective school leaders involved in business partnerships. A medium size Florida school district was selected since most small districts have limited to no active partnerships on record and most large districts have partnerships that are multi-school or district-level partnerships which were the types of partnerships eliminated from this study. Twelve partnerships from ten different schools in a medium size Florida school district were the focus of this study. Seven characteristics of an effective partnership were most widely identified by principals, business leaders, and the district personnel: (1) open and continuous communication; (2) planning, goal setting, and evaluation; (3) commitment; (4) needs assessment; (5) know your community; (6) appropriate allocation of human resources; and (7) monitoring the process. From the skills, abilities, and knowledge identified by the participants, the most prevalent were five: (1) open and continuous communication: (2) planning, goal setting, and mission; (3) public relations; (4) knowing your community; and (5) commitment. When evaluating the data collected according to elementary, middle, and high school levels, there were five different skills, abilities, and knowledge identified. The only differences were the order of importance – (1) communication; (2) planning; (3) know your community; (4) public relations; and (5) commitment. The Florida Educational Leadership Standards related to these characteristics were Community and Stakeholder Partnerships, Vision, Managing the Learning Environment, and Diversity. The lack of available documents from the partnerships may indicate that the principals and the business partners have created a bond that does not need a written agreement to maintain and sustain the growth of the partnership.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3421
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- An Analysis of Performance-Based Funding Policies and Recommendations for the Florida College System.
- Creator
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Balog, Scott Evans, Wetherell, T. K. (Thomas Kent), Prevatt, Frances F., Tandberg, David A., Cox, Bradley E., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreBalog, Scott Evans, Wetherell, T. K. (Thomas Kent), Prevatt, Frances F., Tandberg, David A., Cox, Bradley E., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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Nearly 30 states have adopted or are transitioning to performance-based funding programs for community colleges that allocate funding based on institutional performance according to defined metrics. While embraced by state lawmakers and promoted by outside advocacy groups as a method to improve student outcomes, enhance accountability and ensure return on investment of public resources in higher education, limited research exists confirming the effectiveness of performance-based funding in...
Show moreNearly 30 states have adopted or are transitioning to performance-based funding programs for community colleges that allocate funding based on institutional performance according to defined metrics. While embraced by state lawmakers and promoted by outside advocacy groups as a method to improve student outcomes, enhance accountability and ensure return on investment of public resources in higher education, limited research exists confirming the effectiveness of performance-based funding in meeting intended policy goals. The policy analysis examined performance-based funding programs administered in Florida as the status quo and Ohio as the policy alternative. Prompted by their Governors, both states recently developed new approaches to performance-based funding that move funding away from enrollment and tie substantial amounts to student outcomes. To provide a context for the policy analysis, the study chronicled the history of performance-based funding and accountability programs for higher education enacted by states and reviewed policymaking processes and influences. The study applied a multi-goal approach to compare the policy alternatives applied in each state. Although it is still too early to assess the effectiveness of the performance-based funding programs in both states, the review of both system and institutional level performance data and interviews with stakeholders in Ohio revealed little to no connection between the intended program goals and behaviors exhibited by colleges. Based on the study findings, policy recommendations were proposed to enhance the effectiveness of the performance-based funding program for the Florida College System.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_2016SP_Balog_fsu_0071E_13303
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- An Application of the Teddlie and Stringfield School Effectiveness Model: A Case Study of How A High-Poverty Elementary School Became A High-Performing Elementary School.
- Creator
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Walker, Ida Denise, Schrader, Linda, Irvin, Judith, Eklund, Robert, Milton, Sande, Herrington, Carolyn, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State...
Show moreWalker, Ida Denise, Schrader, Linda, Irvin, Judith, Eklund, Robert, Milton, Sande, Herrington, Carolyn, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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ABSTRACT The purpose of this descriptive, post hoc single case study was to understand how the five components of Teddlie and Stringfield`s (1993) school effectiveness model manifested themselves in school improvements efforts. This study used Teddlie and Stringfield (1993) five component school effectiveness conceptual model (focus on academics, orderly environment, monitoring of student academic profiles, supportive and persistent teachers, and dynamic leadership). I conducted semi...
Show moreABSTRACT The purpose of this descriptive, post hoc single case study was to understand how the five components of Teddlie and Stringfield`s (1993) school effectiveness model manifested themselves in school improvements efforts. This study used Teddlie and Stringfield (1993) five component school effectiveness conceptual model (focus on academics, orderly environment, monitoring of student academic profiles, supportive and persistent teachers, and dynamic leadership). I conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers, administrators, instructional coaches and students, produced several trend analyses, and analyzed school documents and academic records. From the information I collected at the site, I tested Teddlie and Stringfield`s (1993) school effectiveness model`s applicability to a school seeking transformation and identified other factors that may have contributed to the increase in student performance. The primary research question was &hibar;How did the five components of the Teddlie and Stringfield`s (1993) school effectiveness study manifest themselves in the school improvement efforts of This Is It Elementary School? Two sub-questions were: (1) What additional factors contributed to facilitating and sustaining school improvement efforts in this case? (2) In an effort to increase student academic achievement represented by the FCAT, (a) what challenges were encountered by students, teachers, instructional support staff and administrators and (b) how did the students, teachers, instructional support staff, and administrators overcome the challenges? This single case study investigated a high-performing elementary public school that served predominately African American students in a poor neighborhood and achieved impressive academic results in 2008-2009 and maintained similar levels of academic excellence in subsequent years. More specifically, this study documented the manifestation and maintenance of school improvement efforts at This Is it Elementary School covering the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 school years. The five components of Teddlie and Stringfield`s (1993) School Effectiveness Model (a focus on academics, supportive and persistent teachers, continuous monitoring of academic profiles, an orderly environment, and dynamic leadership) were evident at This is It Elementary School. The school`s focus on academics involved the restructuring of instructional time, curriculum alignment, and additional instruction. Their acquisition supportive and persistent teachers that were caring and demanding resulted in high expectations for student achievement. In addition, This Is It Elementary School used frequent assessments to drive instruction and they created a structured environment that was conducive to learning. The student`s appreciation for teachers was a by-product of the establishment of relationships. Dynamic leadership was also present. Dynamic leadership took the form of differentiated and instructional leadership. Administration mediated and buffered the staff from external district and federal mandates. Administration also monitored the fidelity of instructional practices. Before, during, and after the academic transformation, the staff at This Is It Elementary School faced the challenge of maintaining the pace of the district mandated curriculum map, an area where buffering was more evident. Administration revamped the district`s mandated curriculum map and customized the pacing of the standards to match the learning progression of their students. The findings in this case revealed two additional characteristics that proved instrumental in improving and maintaining student achievement: (1) rewards for high academic performance and (2) creative test preparation activities. Therefore, the school effectiveness model implemented at This Is Elementary School that led to the improvement in and maintenance of student achievement as represented by FCAT scores consisted of seven school improvement components: (1) focus on academics, (2) orderly environment, (3) monitoring of student academic profiles, (4) supportive and persistent teachers, (5) dynamic leadership, (6) rewards for high academic performance, and (7) test preparation activities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5253
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Application of Workforce 2000/2020 Analysis to a Southern Rural Community.
- Creator
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Zuokemefa, Pade, Easton, Peter, Jones, Maxine, Herrington, Carolyn, Biance, Michael, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Since publication of the Hudson Institute report on Workforce 2000: Work and Workers in the 21st Century in 1987 and the appearance of its sequel, Workforce 2020, a decade later, a popular form of analysis of economic trends and adult education needs has emerged and its conclusions have been widely cited. The approach has, however, been developed and almost entirely applied at the "macro" level of regions, States and the country as a whole. This dissertation assesses the applicability and...
Show moreSince publication of the Hudson Institute report on Workforce 2000: Work and Workers in the 21st Century in 1987 and the appearance of its sequel, Workforce 2020, a decade later, a popular form of analysis of economic trends and adult education needs has emerged and its conclusions have been widely cited. The approach has, however, been developed and almost entirely applied at the "macro" level of regions, States and the country as a whole. This dissertation assesses the applicability and utility of a Workforce 2000/2020 type of analysis for a rural Southern minority community by performing a "double diagnosis" that involves 1) using the Workforce 2000/2020 framework to examine the learning challenges, needs and opportunities facing a small Southern rural community (Gretna, Florida) as it enters the 21st century; and 2) at the same time assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Workforce 2000/2020 as an approach to these issues in local rural and minority communities by observing and analyzing the results of this "experiment" with local stakeholders. The methodology used for this study was a "mixed method" procedure that combined an "embedded" case study framework with action research. Sampling was done at the community level (City of Gretna), and within-case (or local sampling scheme). Within-case or local sampling used elite, snowball and key informants strategies to identify stakeholder groups and choose participants within each group. The study was performed in three sequential phases. In the first phase, a Workforce 2000/2020 study was conducted of demographic and economic trends in the city of Gretna and their impact on labor supply and demand using both qualitative and quantitative data. In the second phase, these substantive results were analyzed with local stakeholder representatives and the patterns compared to those characteristics of "macro" Workforce 2000/2020 studies. Finally, the experience of the Gretna analysis itself was assessed and compared to the methodology of macro Workforce 2000/2020-type studies to examine the applicability of this approach to a rural minority community and the modifications required. The macro Workforce 2000/2020 analysis suggests that, nationwide, the skill level of our workforce is insufficient to meet the competitive challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. In short, there is a growing mismatch (or at least a growing risk of one) between a high level of demand for skilled labor and an inadequate supply of existing workers or new job entrants having those qualifications. Analysis of the situation in Gretna, however, suggests something rather different. There appears to be much less mismatch. The demand for skilled labor is very low and the supply of human resources is almost equally low. In fact, the picture for Gretna is more one of a region mired in low-level equilibrium of supply and demand than one of a disequilibrium created by unmet opportunity. The Workforce 2000/2020 approach offers several strengths and weaknesses. As a principal strength, the effort to line the supply of human resources against the demand for it provides some unique insight into the situation of the community and serves to assemble types of data and groups of actors, like educators and business people that are not often or as systematically brought into dialogue. On the other hand, however, the approach pays little attention to historical and social context, does not prescribe participatory measures designed to include the voices of those concerned, and puts preponderant emphasis on supply-side factors to the detriment of a critical understanding of the roots of demand. An attempt was made to remedy these principal shortcomings in the approach used for this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2003
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-0473
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Art Integration and Reading Achievement.
- Creator
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Cannon Wilson, Iris Chloris, Iatarola, Patrice, Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Herrington, Carolyn D., Rutledge, Stacy A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show moreCannon Wilson, Iris Chloris, Iatarola, Patrice, Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Herrington, Carolyn D., Rutledge, Stacy A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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Accountability pressures have impacted pedagogy in many K-12 schools in the United States. Low achievement on standardized assessments may be attributed to many factors, including instructional strategies. Differentiated instruction has been identified as an instructional method that meets the diverse needs, interests, and strengths. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study analyzes the effectiveness of arts integration on reading achievement of fourth and fifth grade students who...
Show moreAccountability pressures have impacted pedagogy in many K-12 schools in the United States. Low achievement on standardized assessments may be attributed to many factors, including instructional strategies. Differentiated instruction has been identified as an instructional method that meets the diverse needs, interests, and strengths. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study analyzes the effectiveness of arts integration on reading achievement of fourth and fifth grade students who participate in an arts integration program in a Title I school as compared to fourth and fifth grade students attending a Title I school without an arts integration program. A framework of constructivism guided the study. The study was designed to answer the research question of "To what extent, if any, does arts integration in a Title 1 school improve students reading achievement?" Using student and school level data from the 2013 – 2014 academic year, this study used regression analyses to estimate the difference in reading achievement between the two schools, controlling for a number of factors that include school, student, and teacher characteristics. This study indicated some effect on reading achievement of fourth and fifth grade students in two elementary schools, more studies need to be conducted to add to the field of arts integration. Further research is needed to explore and confirm the impact of arts integration as an instructional strategy in other schools.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_2016SP_CannonWilson_fsu_0071E_13113
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Associate Degree Programs of Public Administration in United States Public Community Colleges and Junior Colleges.
- Creator
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Maxwell, Steven Robert, Mann, Barbara A., Klay, W. Earle, Bower, Beverly L., Peterson, Gary W., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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This study focused on associate degree programs in public administration offered by U.S. public community and junior colleges. Public administration has been defined as the study of the process, policies and programs of government. According to Mosher (1978), the study and teaching of public administration has taken place since 1888 in U.S. higher education. From the 1920s to date, graduate and undergraduate degree programs in public administration have been in operation in United States...
Show moreThis study focused on associate degree programs in public administration offered by U.S. public community and junior colleges. Public administration has been defined as the study of the process, policies and programs of government. According to Mosher (1978), the study and teaching of public administration has taken place since 1888 in U.S. higher education. From the 1920s to date, graduate and undergraduate degree programs in public administration have been in operation in United States colleges and universities. According to the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), public community and junior colleges in the U.S. have been offering associate degrees and certificates in public administration since 1972. Peterson's Two Year Colleges (2002) reported in the 2000-2001 academic year, 42 public community and junior colleges in 22 states offered associate degree programs in public administration. However, during inquiries made for this study in December of 2002, only 20 public community and junior colleges in 15 states reported that they offered an associate degree program in public administration. This study provided new empirical data about U.S. public community and junior college public administration associate degree programs based on results of a telephone survey that was administered to 20 program directors of the associate degree programs in public administration in U.S. public community and junior colleges. The data indicated that certain curriculum subject areas are being emphasized in associate degree programs in public administration. The research from this study revealed that graduates with an associate degree in public administration are working in various kinds of positions in private and public sectors of the U.S. labor economy; i.e. federal, state and local government organizations. The data also suggested that there are a number of changes that are positively and negatively affecting associate degree programs in public ix administration that are offered by U.S. public community and junior colleges; i.e. demographic changes in student population and increases in student enrollment. This study's conceptual framework's aspects of the division of labor, articulation and accreditation is discussed as to how those aspects relate to and are affected by the offering of associate degree programming in public administration by U.S. public community and junior colleges. This study concludes by offering recommendations on how U.S. community and junior colleges can utilize this study and its results for informational and evaluative purposes to institute a new program in public administration or to assess their current associate degree program in public administration. Recommendations have been made for NASPAA about the results of this study, and how they can use those results for their own research and reference purposes. Lastly, several recommendations for further research have been made based on the data that were derived from this study about associate degree programs in public administration that are offered by U.S. public community colleges and junior colleges.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-2649
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Athletic Training Education in American Colleges and Universities: A Study of Professional Standards and Accountability.
- Creator
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Nichter, Joshua M. (Joshua Martin), Schwartz, Robert A., Rice, Diana, Beckham, Joseph, Dalton, Jon, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State...
Show moreNichter, Joshua M. (Joshua Martin), Schwartz, Robert A., Rice, Diana, Beckham, Joseph, Dalton, Jon, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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This study identified characteristics and benchmarks of Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEPs) considered exemplary by a national sample of ATEP program directors. These exemplary characteristics and benchmarks can be used as models by program directors and administrators for program evaluation. The study also identified 10 ATEPs perceived as exemplary by a sample of program directors. The characteristics of those programs were compared to the characteristics identified as essential by...
Show moreThis study identified characteristics and benchmarks of Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEPs) considered exemplary by a national sample of ATEP program directors. These exemplary characteristics and benchmarks can be used as models by program directors and administrators for program evaluation. The study also identified 10 ATEPs perceived as exemplary by a sample of program directors. The characteristics of those programs were compared to the characteristics identified as essential by the survey respondents. The identification of the characteristics found in an exemplary program is a critical step in the advancement of athletic training education. ATEPs are not currently ranked, and only subjective perceptions of professionals within the field have been available to identify distinctive ATEPs. The research study is descriptive by design, and examines specific characteristics of accredited entry-level ATEPs important for exemplary status. After the benchmark characteristics were identified, a comparison of the perceptions of the respondent's perceived characteristics versus the characteristics identified by the program directors of the 10 exemplary programs was evaluated. Finally, after the comparison, a model program was developed. The model program details the specific qualifications required for exemplary status. The perceptions of criteria essential for an ATEP to be classified as exemplary yielded 15 items. A majority of those 15 items were in the category of program resources (n=8), followed by evaluation (n=4), curriculum (n=2), and sponsorship (n=1). Thirty one criteria were identified as consistent (at least 7 of top 10 ATEPs met the criteria) among the top 10 ATEPs. Of the 15 items perceived to be essential for ATEP exemplary status, 14 correlated positively and were seen in a majority of the top 10 ATEPs. This indicates an agreement in perception versus reality in terms of what participants believe to be essential criteria/characteristics of an exemplary ATEP versus the actual criteria/characteristics of 10 exemplary ATEPs. Participants were asked two open-ended questions regarding other important criteria essential for ATEP exemplary status, and the important issues currently facing their ATEPs. Curriculum responses were most frequent as cited by participants among other criteria/characteristics essential for ATEP exemplary status. Didactic courses (n=18) and clinical experiences (n=18) were cited as the most frequent subcategories in curriculum. Resource responses were the most frequent category cited by participants among important issues currently facing their ATEPs. Program director responsibilities (n=21), ACI responsibilities/qualifications (n=18), and faculty to student ration in the ATEP (n=15) were the three most frequently cited subcategories in resources. Of the perceived resource, student, program evaluation, and curriculum characteristics that were deemed essential for exemplary entry-level athletic training education programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, 24 criteria/characteristics correlated positively with the actual characteristics of 10 identified exemplary ATEPs. As a whole, the perceptions of the participants in this study of what constitutes an exemplary ATEP agreed with the actual characteristics of the 10 identified exemplary ATEPs. Meaning that perception of exemplary status meets the reality of the characteristics of exemplary programs in athletic training. A model for an exemplary entry-level athletic training education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education has been identified.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-2609
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Building Capacity for Decentralized Local Development in Chad: Civil Society Groups and the Role of Nonformal Adult Education.
- Creator
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Liebert, Gary P., Easton, Peter B., Mayo, John K., Shargel, Emanuel, Cobbe, James H., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Despite an era of progress and prosperity in many developing areas around the world, poverty persists as an important challenge to Africa. The UN Economic Commission for Africa (2000) reported that four in ten Africans live in absolute poverty, citing evidence that poverty on the continent is increasing, not decreasing. While this is discouraging, policymakers and other observers hold out hope that Africa can look forward to the future. The challenges created by economic crisis, government...
Show moreDespite an era of progress and prosperity in many developing areas around the world, poverty persists as an important challenge to Africa. The UN Economic Commission for Africa (2000) reported that four in ten Africans live in absolute poverty, citing evidence that poverty on the continent is increasing, not decreasing. While this is discouraging, policymakers and other observers hold out hope that Africa can look forward to the future. The challenges created by economic crisis, government decentralization and the emergence of civil society institutions are evident in the Republic of Chad, a large, mostly arid, landlocked country in the heart of the Africa. Chad has had to face several unique problems after independence in 1960: Civil war, three decades of ethnic warfare, rebel movements and invasions before peace was established; drought and famine; etc. In the 1990s, Chad started to take steps to establish democracy, and a World Bank-financed project to exploit oil reserves have brought new development hopes. Many African governments no longer provide many services expected of them, due to political and economic events, resulting in functions being devolved to local governments and civil society groups. Under decentralization, Chadians can capitalize on potentials and avoid the dangers by acquiring resources and capacities to manage local-level development functions. Skills needed for development, however, are in short supply, due to historical deficiencies of the educational system in Chad. Unless new ways are found to cultivate competencies of civil society actors, it is unlikely that decentralization will bring benefits or become more than a bail-out of central authority. Capacity building, through nonformal education and training programs, invests in Africa's people, to develop skills needed for local and national development. The approach to research was to analyze the context of the problem situation facing Chad â i.e., lack of capacity to capitalize on economic and political decentralization; to identify and examine alternate strategies for capacity building implemented in Africa; and by analysis, to recommend the approaches that seem likely to promote local capacity development in Chad. The methodology employed was policy research, within a case study framework, with several phases that included: grey literature review; interviews with key informants; and preliminary data analysis disseminated to stakeholders for review ("ground truthing"). Within-case sampling used "snowball" strategies to identify local stakeholder groups in Africa and choose participants from each group for interviews. The key to data analysis was identifying alternative local capacity building (LCB) strategies in Africa, through selected cases in Chad, Mali and Senegal, and then proposing possible approaches for LCB. Much of the pioneering work of indigenous nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) concentrates on the "demand side" of development: helping communities articulate their needs; recognizing local and regional development opportunities (in a decentralized environment); and helping amplify that emerging "voice" and mixing technical skills with access to information-age communication, advocacy and networking skills to give power and resources to local people. African NGOs are important agents for civil society transformation, a micro-level reflection of changes in local governance. Worldwide movements for greater participation in political decision making, transparency, accountability, etc., all have local-level counterparts in the grassroots mobilization efforts of NGOs and partner community-based organizations (CBOs). The groups studied for this research â e.g., CEFOD (in Chad), Kafo Jiginew (in Mali), and Popenguine (in Senegal) â all provided exemplary experiences within the spectrum of collaborations between international donor groups, NGOs and CBOs. Ultimately, findings demonstrate that national-level (indigenous) NGOs were the key intermediary institutions in local capacity building, promoting multiple levels of intervention between international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), NGOs, and CBOs. This principal finding, as well as a summary of "ground level" best practices in capacity building was also included in this dissertation, were designed for use by policymakers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1375
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Capital Funding and Institutional Growth: A Case Study of Regional State Universities.
- Creator
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Black, Michael M. (Michael Maxwell), Schwartz, Robert A., deHaven-Smith, Lance M., Lick, Dale W., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida...
Show moreBlack, Michael M. (Michael Maxwell), Schwartz, Robert A., deHaven-Smith, Lance M., Lick, Dale W., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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This historical case study investigated policy issues and other factors which affected public, higher education capital funding and overall growth at two mid-sized, regional, state universities located in a Southeastern state in the U.S. during the period 1975 to 2005. The construct, policy issues, and two subsidiary constructs, capital appropriations and overall institutional growth, were examined to assist in drawing conclusions about the methods used to appropriate capital funds and their...
Show moreThis historical case study investigated policy issues and other factors which affected public, higher education capital funding and overall growth at two mid-sized, regional, state universities located in a Southeastern state in the U.S. during the period 1975 to 2005. The construct, policy issues, and two subsidiary constructs, capital appropriations and overall institutional growth, were examined to assist in drawing conclusions about the methods used to appropriate capital funds and their impact on public institutions of higher education. The study examined, described, and analyzed decisions which have influenced capital investment in the state's public higher education system. A history of the state's higher education governing system and the two case institutions, a description of the factors behind policy-making decisions, and descriptions of the elements of the capital appropriations process in the state are included with examples of how capital appropriations have contributed to the overall institutional growth. Qualitative data relative to capital appropriations came from interviews with key individuals and from document analysis of system and institutional records related to capital appropriations. The results concluded that the capital request policies at the onset of the study were more subjective in nature and appropriations were made to the institutions in an inequitable manner; decisions were easily affected by the internal and external politics of the state university system and state government. The capital allocation process evolved and was architecturally shifted to become more data-driven so that decision making is more objective and in line with the system and institution master plans. The growth of the case institutions was not solely caused by capital appropriations; but in many cases, capital outlay allowed the institutions to sustain enrollment growth. Additional factors, besides capital appropriations such as institutional leadership, school choice variables, and state policy issues which influenced and contributed to the differences in overall growth at the two case institutions were included in the results. In practice, policies are strengthened to emphasize the planning process and adherence to a master plan and capital improvement plan. The study revealed inequitable and sometimes haphazard methods by which capital outlay decisions have been made in the state; this study supported the recently adopted, data-driven strategic capital model. Realizing that the state cannot provide all funding, it was recommended higher education institutions pursue and expand public/private partnerships to secure capital funding, and increase institutional collaboration during this process. Facilities and capital investment constituted just one component which allowed an institution to flourish; but in many cases, institutions had the capacity which could be readily seen by the establishment of an efficiency model of its current space before constructing new facilities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3711
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Career Decisions of Independent School Teachers.
- Creator
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Collins, Andrew L., Rutledge, Stacey, Southerland, Sherry, Iatarola, Patrice, Irvin, Judith, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Researchers have given extensive consideration to public school teachers' retention. Yet, despite independent schools enrolling approximately 12% of our nation's students, the work that has been completed on teachers at independent schools and the influences of their career decisions is limited (Ingersoll, 2004; Pugh, 2007). The purpose of my study was to explore the career decisions of teachers at one independent school to understand issues facing independent school leaders as they meet the...
Show moreResearchers have given extensive consideration to public school teachers' retention. Yet, despite independent schools enrolling approximately 12% of our nation's students, the work that has been completed on teachers at independent schools and the influences of their career decisions is limited (Ingersoll, 2004; Pugh, 2007). The purpose of my study was to explore the career decisions of teachers at one independent school to understand issues facing independent school leaders as they meet the challenges of teacher retention. Independent school leaders need to understand the influences that attract and retain high quality teachers so they can better meet their mission and better serve their students. My study examines the following questions: 1. What are the factors that influence teachers at one independent school to move to other schools? 2. What are the factors that influence teachers at one independent school to remain at this school? 3. What are the factors that influence teachers at one independent school to leave the teaching profession? Since the discussion involving independent schools has been so limited, my literature review begins with a brief overview of independent schools in the U.S. today. The literature review then provides research related to public schools to better understand the empirical research related to teacher retention. The literature review also includes studies of non-traditional public schools and independent schools. As non-traditional public schools operate similarly to independent schools, the literature served as a bridge between research on public schools and the few studies focusing on independent schools. My study is a case study of one independent school. The study includes an anonymous pre-interview questionnaire for all teachers at the school to secure a baseline for the school and to assist in determining appropriate questions for the interviews and validate the questions during the interviews with the teachers and administrators. The interviews had specific questions but allowed for answers to be explained or explored further. I interviewed six teachers who are still at the school site (stayers), six former teachers who took a job with another school (movers), and six who left the profession (leavers). The transcriptions from all the interviews were coded for themes and used NVivo 9.0 software application to assist in the qualitative analysis of the interviews. The themes were grouped and a narrative was given in regards to their relationships with the literature review. My study found teachers were most influenced by philosophical approaches, autonomy, environment, and personal reasons in their career decisions. Movers wanted to work at a school that matched either their professional philosophical approach to teaching or their personal philosophical approach on social issues. Movers were dedicated to teaching, but felt another school would better meet their current personal needs. Stayers remained at the independent school in my study due to the autonomy in their classroom. This was particularly important to teachers who had taught in public schools. All stayers stated that the school's environment was important in that it was a family-oriented setting and that it was extremely conducive for learning. All stayers in my study had always wanted to be a teacher and were committed to teaching until retirement. The leavers in my study seemed to be most influenced by either professional preferences or personal reasons outside the school's control. Three leavers loved their subject areas, but found a way to remain in the subject field but in another profession. My study suggests that independent school leaders should consider teachers who match their schools' philosophical approaches to education. This search for the right philosophical fit seemed to keep teachers or motivate movers to try another setting. Independent school leaders should consider the autonomy given to their teachers. The most attractive component for all the teachers in my study was having the autonomy in their classroom. My study suggests school leaders should foster an environment that promotes family and collegial support among administrators, teachers, students, and parents. My study also suggests that schools should consider professional opportunities for their teachers. All teachers stated that professional opportunities either did or would have a significant influence on their decisions. Finally, school leaders may be able to keep teachers if they find out why they want to teach. If it is just for the subject matter, my study suggests that's not enough to keep them, but my study found that teachers most committed to teaching had always wanted to teach, even if they chose teaching as a second career.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-4775
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- A Case of the Global-Local Dialectic: Decentralization and Teacher Training in Banten, Indonesia.
- Creator
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Young, Michael S., Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Carroll, Pamela, Rutledge, Stacey, Luschei, Thomas, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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This study examines the social and cultural contexts, and factors of global and local sources, which influence teacher preparation and which may serve to impede or facilitate the training of public and private school English teachers at the "University of Banten," in Serang, Indonesia. A central question of the ethnographic case study is how, and to what extent professors are modeling and encouraging active-learning methods in the students' English and Education courses in response to...
Show moreThis study examines the social and cultural contexts, and factors of global and local sources, which influence teacher preparation and which may serve to impede or facilitate the training of public and private school English teachers at the "University of Banten," in Serang, Indonesia. A central question of the ethnographic case study is how, and to what extent professors are modeling and encouraging active-learning methods in the students' English and Education courses in response to decentralization reforms. The specific focus is on student-teacher preparation pedagogically and instructionally, knowledge of curriculum utilization and development in relation to Indonesian decentralization policy, and the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC-KTSP) standards for English instruction, the PAKEM Active Learning methods, and the Local Content Curriculum (LCC). Uniquely, it examines English and teacher-training responses representative of the realities of localization and globalization, and is concerned with increased levels of teacher autonomy and decision-making in contemporary Indonesia. The study also explores the implementation of decentralization and English instruction, and how past center-periphery cultural and political traditions affect response to educational reforms. A discussion of theories of educational decentralization builds a framework for situating the present contexts of Indonesian education reform in order to identify specific challenges which impact English teacher preparation and the knowledge and implementation of contemporary decentralization of education policies. The knowledge and implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC-KTSP) curriculum and instructional standards for English instruction, the concept and implementation of PAKEM Active Learning methods, and the Local Content Curriculum (LCC), which represent major elements of decentralization policy, autonomy, and self-motivation for learning, were explored thematically through ethnographic analysis. The analysis and discussion follow in-depth accounts of professors, teachers and students at the campus over 10 months and provides extensive and diverse evidence of dynamic responses to policy changes. Lecturers and teachers were well informed about and engaged in the implementation of current decentralization of education reforms, including the integration of the CBC curriculum standards with active learning methods in instruction, and the development and implementation of Local Content Curriculum courses. Global influences generally were not viewed as threatening to local, traditional cultural teaching practices, but as potentially advantageous means for improving schooling.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-0743
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Challenging Legitimacy Gaps: Using Organizational Culture to Defend the Value of Outdoor Recreation Programming in Higher Education.
- Creator
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Gerbers, Kellie Elizabeth, Schwartz, Robert A., James, Jeffrey D. (Jeffrey Dalton), Guthrie, Kathy L., Cox, Bradley E., Florida State University, College of Education,...
Show moreGerbers, Kellie Elizabeth, Schwartz, Robert A., James, Jeffrey D. (Jeffrey Dalton), Guthrie, Kathy L., Cox, Bradley E., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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As college costs continue to rise, critics question why institutions are investing funds in “unimaginable college experiences” that include climbing walls, leisure pools, and state-of-the-art wellness centers (Martin, 2012; Yu & Effron, 2014; McNutt, 2014). The recent discontinuation of several dozen college outdoor recreation degrees and outdoor orientation programs suggests that the value of outdoor recreation has diminished on the modern college campus. The public challenge to such...
Show moreAs college costs continue to rise, critics question why institutions are investing funds in “unimaginable college experiences” that include climbing walls, leisure pools, and state-of-the-art wellness centers (Martin, 2012; Yu & Effron, 2014; McNutt, 2014). The recent discontinuation of several dozen college outdoor recreation degrees and outdoor orientation programs suggests that the value of outdoor recreation has diminished on the modern college campus. The public challenge to such organizations occurs because of “legitimacy gaps” (Sethi, 2005, as cited in Brummette, 2015). Organizational legitimacy hinges on public acceptance of an organization’s actions within a socially constructed system of norms, values, beliefs, and definitions (Suchman, 1995). The same components that create the basis for organizational legitimacy also comprise the foundations for organizational culture. To survive in the modern system, college outdoor recreation programs must be able to articulate how their mission, behaviors, and decisions add value to their campus community and to institutional goals. This study explored how successful college outdoor recreation programs leverage the outcomes of effective organizational culture-building to maintain organizational legitimacy using data from three nationally-recognized college outdoor programs. The primary research questions were: 1) how does a college outdoor recreation program create a “cultural fit” within the mission and strategic plan of its institution, and 2) how does the program articulate goal congruence with institutional stakeholders? The researcher conducted interviews with 18 participants and conducted a document analysis to explore how programs shared their value with stakeholders. Findings suggest that successful programs 1) garner support when their organizational culture reinforces the institution’s organizational culture, 2) establish value by being the sole provider of specific experiences in support of the institution’s strategic priorities 3) can best maintain and extend legitimacy by cultivating a web of strategic, collaborative partnerships.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- FSU_FALL2017_Gerbers_fsu_0071E_13991
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Characteristics of Construction Safety Trainers, the Challenges They Experience, How They Meet These Challenges, and the Relationships Between Selected Characteristics of Safety Trainers and Accident Rates Experienced by Their Trainees.
- Creator
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Barber, Herbert Marion, Snyder, William R., Greenwood, Bonnie, Bower, Beverly, Biance, Michael, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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This study was an examination of the safety trainers who work in large construction firms in the United States. It was conducted in the hopes of helping vocational educators improve construction safety training. The purpose of the study was to determine the 1) specific individual demographic characteristics of safety trainers, 2) challenges they experience when planning, delivering, and evaluating safety training programs, 3) relationships between selected individual demographic...
Show moreThis study was an examination of the safety trainers who work in large construction firms in the United States. It was conducted in the hopes of helping vocational educators improve construction safety training. The purpose of the study was to determine the 1) specific individual demographic characteristics of safety trainers, 2) challenges they experience when planning, delivering, and evaluating safety training programs, 3) relationships between selected individual demographic characteristics of safety trainers and the accident rates of their trainees, and 4) how safety trainers meet the challenges they experience. Most trainers in this study were white males with more than 20 years of construction experience. Approximately 57 percent of the safety trainers had earned a bachelor's degree or higher. Only five safety trainers had degrees in education. Safety trainers believed that they received more support from corporate management than they received from general management, such as project managers, engineers, and superintendents. This belief was found to be significant at the .01 level using a t-test. Additionally, safety trainers believed that they were better at planning and delivering safety training than they were at evaluating safety training. This belief also was found to be significant (p Six null hypotheses were developed to investigate the relationships between selected individual demographic characteristics of safety trainers and the accident rates of trainees. Among the findings for these hypotheses, the following was determined: 1. As company size increased, the accident rates of trainees decreased (r=-.328, p=.012). 2. As the educational levels of safety trainers increased, the accident rates of trainees decreased (r=-.440, p=.001). 3. There was no statistically significant relationship between the yearly amount of safety training that safety trainers received and the accident rates of their trainees (r=-.030, p=.826). 4. There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of years of construction experience that safety trainers have and the accident rates of their trainees (r=.054, p=.690). 5. There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of years of safety experience that safety trainers have and the accident rates of their trainees (r=.122, p=.363). 6. There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of years safety trainers have delivered safety training and the accident rates of their trainees (r=.146, p=.274). Safety trainers met the challenges of not receiving as much support from project managers, engineers, and superintendents as they received from corporate managers by making deliberate efforts to solicit buy-in from these individuals. Additionally, safety trainers met the challenges of not believing they were as good at evaluating safety training as they believed they were at planning and delivering safety training by receiving additional training in the area of evaluation. The study also discussed the conclusions and recommendations of the study. The study ended with a call for vocational educators to become more involved in the training of construction safety trainers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2003
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1055
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Cinema in Cuban National Development: Women and Film Making Culture.
- Creator
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Spinella, Michelle, Masemann, Vandra, Mayo, John, Basile, Michael, Klees, Steve, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this qualitative study is to contribute to a fuller understanding of cinema in processes of national development and social change. The study explores the use of cinema as an educational strategy in post-revolutionary Cuba. The research focuses closely on the experience of women filmmakers' and their participation in the production of cultural meaning and creation of a national Cuban cinema. My central thesis is that cultural renewal is primarily an epistemological task and the...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative study is to contribute to a fuller understanding of cinema in processes of national development and social change. The study explores the use of cinema as an educational strategy in post-revolutionary Cuba. The research focuses closely on the experience of women filmmakers' and their participation in the production of cultural meaning and creation of a national Cuban cinema. My central thesis is that cultural renewal is primarily an epistemological task and the study of cinema as a way of knowing can inform the practices of education and development. The themes of representation, culture and development are explored using interviews with women filmmakers, Cuban films, primary source documentation from Cuba's historic archives, participant observation during a women's conference on film and video, and the methodology of film elicitation during a filmmakers' focus group, which evoked taken-for-grant cultural meaning. These data are presented in a contextual analysis that illustrate cinema is a rich context for studying culture and representations of social change processes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1604
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Collaborative Peer Tutoring as a Mechanism for the Integration of First-Year Student-Athletes.
- Creator
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Walters, Glenn E., Cox, Brad, Jeong, Allan, Hu, Shouping, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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For high-profile Division-I student-athletes, the academic success journey is often overshadowed by athletic participation, providing both researchers and practitioners an incomplete picture of student-athlete academic success. There exists little literature on the phenomenon of student-athlete integration, a process suggested to enhance chances of academic success for this population (Comeaux & Harrison, 2011). Moreover, existing integration models largely do not consider the unique...
Show moreFor high-profile Division-I student-athletes, the academic success journey is often overshadowed by athletic participation, providing both researchers and practitioners an incomplete picture of student-athlete academic success. There exists little literature on the phenomenon of student-athlete integration, a process suggested to enhance chances of academic success for this population (Comeaux & Harrison, 2011). Moreover, existing integration models largely do not consider the unique characteristics of student-athletes. Student-athletes, particularly Division-I revenue athletes, face grueling athletic schedules and public expectations that make it difficult for them to achieve academic or social integration with the non-athletic parts of university life. In light of considerable public scrutiny of Division-I sports (Gayles & Hu, 2009b), a better understanding of student-athlete integration has the potential to (a) improve the college experience for this population, (b) increase integration, (c) promote academic success, and (d) enhance overall retention. Over the course of the Spring 2012 semester, multiple observations and interviews were performed in Structured Study Time (SST), a collaborative peer-tutoring program housed in the Department of Student-Athlete Academic Services at Legacy University. Data was analyzed based on the procedures outlined in Corbin and Strauss's (2008) grounded theory methodology. The Supporting Connections (SC) model uncovered in this study is a conceptual model describing the student-athlete integration process in a collaborative tutoring arrangement. The model proposes that student-athlete integration is best achieved when student-athletes strengthen and stabilize connections with the institution's people, places, and activities beyond the playing field. The notion of connections indicates the overarching theme that permeates all the other items in the model. This continuous process is the mechanism responsible for supporting student-athlete perceptions of connection to the whole college experience (e.g., by building a strong connection with the tutor, the student-athlete feels a stronger connection to SST and, by extension, the multiple domains of the university's life). Findings suggest that the student-athlete integration process is undergirded by strong institutional agents (e.g., tutorial staff) who are able to manipulate important academic and social forces in SST, thus creating the desired experiences (e.g., engagement, enjoyment, and escapism) that perpetuate student-athlete connections to university life. The Supporting Connections (SC) model presented in this study provides a new tool for researchers and practitioners to assess the integrative potential of campus support programs, designed with characteristics of Division-I student-athletes in mind, that can (a) provide a better conceptual understanding of the integration process, (b) more effectively operationalize student-athlete integration, (c) increase perceptions of belonging to other campus organizations, and (d) increase the likelihood of academic success for this non-traditional student population.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-7645
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- College and Character: A Study of the Differences in Character Values and Character Education Practices Between American Four-Year Private Faith-Based and Private Nonsectarian Colleges and Universities.
- Creator
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Chen, Pu-Shih Daniel, Dalton, Jon C., Kamata, Akihito, Schwartz, Robert A., Russell, Terrence, Gaston-Gayles, Joy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,...
Show moreChen, Pu-Shih Daniel, Dalton, Jon C., Kamata, Akihito, Schwartz, Robert A., Russell, Terrence, Gaston-Gayles, Joy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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The purposes of this study were to operationally define the construct, college student character development, to develop an instrument to measure the types of efforts of colleges and universities in developing student character, to estimate the instrument's reliability and validity, and to compare the differences in student character development efforts between American private four-year faith-based and private nonsectarian colleges and universities as perceived by chief student affairs...
Show moreThe purposes of this study were to operationally define the construct, college student character development, to develop an instrument to measure the types of efforts of colleges and universities in developing student character, to estimate the instrument's reliability and validity, and to compare the differences in student character development efforts between American private four-year faith-based and private nonsectarian colleges and universities as perceived by chief student affairs officers. A definition and study of student character development, a measurement of collegiate efforts in developing student character, and a comprehensive review of literature most closely related to definitions of character and character education practices on college campuses were undertaken and a Character Education Values and Practices Inventory (CEVPI) was developed. The results of this study indicate that good character has three aspects, namely affective, cognitive, and behavioral. The results of this study also showed private faith-based colleges and universities are more likely to promote affective and behavioral aspects of good character than private nonsectarian colleges and universities. However, a more thorough analysis found that the two types of colleges and universities shared a lot of similarities in terms of the character values they would like to promote in student character development. On the other hand, private faith-based and private nonsectarian colleges and universities utilized very different character education strategies in promoting student character development. Private faith-based colleges and universities were also more likely to utilize academic, spiritual/religious, and administrative strategies to promote student character development, compared to private nonsectarian colleges and universities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3862
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- College Student Spiritual Quest: Influences of Community Service Involvement and Diversity-Related Experiences.
- Creator
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Eberhardt, David Michael, Dalton, Jon C., Rice, Diana, Beckham, Joseph, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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The spiritual life of college students has largely been overlooked by many American colleges and universities. However, a surge of interest in college student spirituality has emerged in recent years. This interest has led to research that has attempted to define and identify aspects of spirituality, as well as determine the importance of spirituality to other areas of student development. Minimal research, however, has attempted to connect student spiritual development to collegiate...
Show moreThe spiritual life of college students has largely been overlooked by many American colleges and universities. However, a surge of interest in college student spirituality has emerged in recent years. This interest has led to research that has attempted to define and identify aspects of spirituality, as well as determine the importance of spirituality to other areas of student development. Minimal research, however, has attempted to connect student spiritual development to collegiate experiences and influences in the campus environment. This study attempted to reduce this gap in the professional literature by examining how traditional-aged college student involvement in community service and experiences with diverse peers impacts their spiritual quest, a concept which focuses especially on students' search for meaning, purpose and understanding in their lives. Through a quantitative, longitudinal, national panel study, college students were surveyed in summer, 2004 and spring, 2007. The survey included items that asked students about their spiritual and religious beliefs and practices, and related experiences, goals, attitudes, and opinions. Utilizing one public research institution's data from this national study, factor and path analyses were employed to determine if significant relationships existed between race, gender, pre-college spiritual quest, community service involvement, diversity-related experiences (defined broadly to include interactions across race/ethnicity, religion, politics, and other differences), and collegiate spiritual quest. Results indicated significant direct effects from pre-college spiritual quest and diversity-related experiences on collegiate spiritual quest, but not for community service involvement. A strong indirect effect for community service involvement emerged however, through diversity-related experiences. Neither race nor gender exhibited significant direct or indirect effects on collegiate spiritual quest. Total effects on collegiate spiritual quest were significant for pre-college spiritual quest, community service involvement, and diversity-related experiences. The strongest direct influence among all variables existed from community service involvement towards diversity-related experience, but greatest total influence occurred from pre-college spiritual quest to collegiate spiritual quest. Limitations of the study include a convenience sample of small size, gender imbalance, and single institution for all participants. A lengthy, self-report survey and history effect from the tragic shooting in April, 2007 at Virginia Tech also may have impacted this study. Implications of the findings are considered finally. For developmental theory, the results suggest that spiritual quest grows and evolves during college within students' broader spirituality, and that identity development is closely tied to the development of spiritual quest. Further research is proposed with an emphasis on in-depth qualitative study to follow up on this study's findings, as well as replication of the study at different types of institutions to examine more thoroughly the influences found here. Outcomes regarding educational policies and developmental practices are outlined, including the addition of spiritual quest development as an explicit and anticipated outcome in institutions' promotion to students of community service and diversity experiences. Means by which institutions can foster spiritual quest in service-learning and volunteer initiatives are offered, along with ideas for the enhancement of diversity-related programming to highlight the development of spiritual quest.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-0602
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Common Core State Standards Initiative: An Event History Analysis of State Adoption of Common K-12 Academic Standards.
- Creator
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Lavenia, Mark, Lang, Laura B., Cohen-Vogel, Lora, Foorman, Barbara R., Herrington, Carolyn D., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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During the summer of 2010, states across the U.S. adopted in quick succession the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics. States vying for Race to the Top (RTTT) funds were compelled by the U.S. Department of Education to adopt the standards by August 2, 2010 in order to compete more favorably. Whereas analysts from organizations such as the Brookings Institute, Cato Institute, and Heartland Institute have brought attention to an overexertion of federal influence...
Show moreDuring the summer of 2010, states across the U.S. adopted in quick succession the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics. States vying for Race to the Top (RTTT) funds were compelled by the U.S. Department of Education to adopt the standards by August 2, 2010 in order to compete more favorably. Whereas analysts from organizations such as the Brookings Institute, Cato Institute, and Heartland Institute have brought attention to an overexertion of federal influence on the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have downplayed the role of federal incentivization, instead, underscoring the unprecedented state leadership employed in the development and adoption of the Common Core State Standards. The purpose of this study was to explore reasons behind states' adoption behaviors as they relate to the Common Core State Standards. I used an innovation diffusion framework in this investigation, positing that, in addition to the vertical influence from the U.S. Department of Education, other factors might account for variation in adoption activity. Alternative models investigated to explain common standards adoption patterns were guided by the policy diffusion literature and included the states' own internal conditions ('determinants"), national interaction among states, and the regional diffusion of policy ideas between states (Berry & Berry, 2007). The dependent variable, timing of adoption, was measured as the date on which the state board, state chief, or state legislature in each state voted or decided to adopt the common standards. Data on the dates of state adoption were generated from the CCSSI (2010e) map of adoption in the states, Education Week Web log postings (e.g., Gewertz, 2010d), National Conference of State Legislatures (2010) Education Bill Tracking Database, and primary source documents (Alabama Department of Education, 2010; Idaho State Board of Education, 2010; Oregon School Boards Association, 2010). The independent variables, representing the various explanations for policy adoption, were drawn from a comprehensive assembly of recent reports from national organizations (e.g., Editorial Projects in Education, 2010c) as well as from other publically available data sources (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Like many recent studies in comparative state policy, I used event history analysis, a longitudinal logistic regression modeling approach for investigating the probability that an event will occur as a function of one or more independent variables. The model fitting procedure taken in the current study included, first, fitting single explanation models (for each innovation diffusion model of internal determinants, national interaction, regional diffusion, and vertical influence) and, second, fitting a full model containing all models of innovation diffusion. The full model suggested that, in addition to the vertical influence of federal incentivization predicting whether and when states adopted common standards, effects for variables indicating internal determinants, national interaction, and regional diffusion were evident. Specifically, holding all other variables constant and controlling for the main effect of time, the estimated odds of adopting common standards were more than 50% lower for states to adopt if they had a republican governor, 40% higher for each additional national consortia in which a state was a member, more than 40% lower for each additional neighbor state to have adopted prior to the reference state's adoption, and five and one-fifth times higher for states vying for RTTT funds compared to states that were not,. Although RTTT fund aspiration was estimated to have had the largest effect among the predictor variables modeled, it is notable that RTTT fund aspiration wasn't the sole predictor to contribute toward explaining variation in state adoption activity. Of particular note, was that the estimated odds ratio for adopting common standards associated with RTTT fund competition reduced from 9.37 (in the single explanation model) to 5.20 (in the full model), indicating that the odds of adopting common standards appeared nearly twice as large when only considering the states' aspiration to compete for RTTT funds. Moreover, the influence of RTTT fund aspiration was large across all models; however, its effect was inflated when not also considering other explanations for adoption. Notwithstanding the need for further investigation, taken as a whole, the final model revealed that state adoption activity was not solely driven by states' aspiration to compete for RTTT funds, but also was associated with internal determinants indicative of political orientation, national networking through consortia, and the adoption activity of neighbor states.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3253
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Community College Baccalaureate Degree in the United States: An Event History Analysis.
- Creator
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Henderson, Carrie E., Tandberg, David, Berry, Frances, Hu, Shouping, Park, Toby, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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In the late 20th century, states began approving community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees, signifying the emergence of the community college baccalaureate (CCB) movement. From 1989 to 2007, 16 states included in this analysis had at least one community college that was authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. In the early years, states offering CCBs saw modest expansion. By the turn of the century, the number of states authorizing community colleges to offer baccalaureate...
Show moreIn the late 20th century, states began approving community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees, signifying the emergence of the community college baccalaureate (CCB) movement. From 1989 to 2007, 16 states included in this analysis had at least one community college that was authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. In the early years, states offering CCBs saw modest expansion. By the turn of the century, the number of states authorizing community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees expanded rapidly. Rationale for the CCB included: increased demands for baccalaureate degrees and credentials; unmet workforce needs; need for increased access to affordable higher education options; baccalaureate training in all state regions; pressures to meet state and national completion goals; overcrowding, stricter admissions standards, and rising costs to students and taxpayers at traditional four-year institutions. The methodological technique of event history analysis was used to better understand the timing and occurrence of the adoption of the CCB. The particular specification for this analysis was the Extended Cox model, where the dependent variable was the binary adoption of the CCB and the independent variables were grouped into five rival sets of hypotheses drawn and distilled from the literature: regional diffusion, fiscal and socioeconomic factors, higher education demand, governance structures, and political factors. The analysis for this study was conducted using longitudinal panel data for 46 states from 1989 to 2007, and tested 17 hypotheses. Data were collected from a variety of state-level sources, including the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, U.S. Department of Labor, Education Commission of the States, Klarnar's data set, and Council of State Governments. This study presents empirical evidence that the likelihood of state adoption can be explained by several conditions external and internal to the state. Specifically, states with close proximity to previous CCB adopters, low tuition costs, low enrollment growth, low educational attainment rates, low labor force participation rates, consolidated governing board structures, board approval for CCB adoption, and non-Republican control of the legislature were more likely to adopt the CCB. I found negative relationships between CCB adoption and median income, tuition costs, and professionalized legislatures. Finally, there was no evidence to support the influence of fiscal health, university overcrowding, proximity to urban areas, previous adoption of articulation agreements, unemployment rates, community college-only boards, and Republican governors on CCB adoption. This study fills a gap in the literature by approaching the evolution and rise of the CCB from an empirical perspective. Building upon prior research, it adds a new way in which scholars and practitioners can think about the adoption of the CCB as a policy innovation in the U.S.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-9004
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Community College Development in India: Variations in the Reception and Translation of the U.S. Community College Model by Indian Administrators to Suit Indian Contexts.
- Creator
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Jerry, Mary Priya, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Miles, Rebecca, Schwartz, Robert A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show moreJerry, Mary Priya, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Miles, Rebecca, Schwartz, Robert A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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The educational system in India is ready for a revamp and community colleges have been identified by policy makers as a vehicle for that change. Although they have existed since the 1990’s, the urgent focus of the Indian government in providing skills to its burgeoning youth population has resulted in a number of community colleges being granted permission to begin functioning as part of existing universities, colleges and polytechnics. The government has special interest in U.S. community...
Show moreThe educational system in India is ready for a revamp and community colleges have been identified by policy makers as a vehicle for that change. Although they have existed since the 1990’s, the urgent focus of the Indian government in providing skills to its burgeoning youth population has resulted in a number of community colleges being granted permission to begin functioning as part of existing universities, colleges and polytechnics. The government has special interest in U.S. community college models for its features like open access and industrial partnerships. However, it is not clear whether implementers faced with running the new community colleges have a clear understanding of the borrowed model or whether they are adequately supported. The literature review indicated that global movements of policy borrowing can be manifested in the adoption of foreign educational models. The literature on policy borrowing offered some popular models with which to interpret these national processes (Phillips & Ochs, 2004; Steiner-Khamsi, 2014). However, they do not seem to account for decision making processes at the strategic actors’ or stakeholder’s level. For now, what is apparent is the stance of the implementer after the decision has been made. Problems with this conception would be that decision - making appears to be rigid, linear, one- time processes. It also ignores the aspect of learning that implementers may find inherent in policy adaptation to suit the contexts. It appears that the current theoretical frameworks overlook the black box of decision making which influence an implementer to manifest resistance, non-decision or support. They suggest that internalization or indigenization are distinct processes removed from implementation (Phillips and Ochs, 2004; Steiner- Khamsi, 2014). Also, implementers of the policy may experience recontextualizing simultaneously with decisions on the suitability of a feature in the borrowed model. The literature also seems to overlook nuances in decision making that may result in changing stances. Experts have suggested that globalization trends can help understand how context affects development of the global educational policies (Robertson, 2012; Verger et al 2012). This study adds to the literature on community college development in India with a specific focus on how individual implementers approached translating a foreign educational model, and broadly adds to the literature on policy borrowing in education. The variations in the thought processes of implementers from India looking at community college models in the U.S. were studied using phenomenographical methods. The study involved 13 participants from all over India yielded five categories of description namely; ‘Conceptualizing community colleges’, ‘Assimilation of the new ideas afforded by the learning opportunity in the U.S’, ‘Discerning similarity or difference in the home country and target country’, ‘Identifying obstacles or constraints in implementation’ and ‘Finding solutions for implementation of selected ideas’. These findings indicate that 1. Community colleges are still a very fluid notion 2. New ideas are selectively filtered 3. Context plays a great role in determining what is perceived as constraints of implementation and 4. perhaps the most important finding, that stances assumed by participants can change when faced with new insights or through collaboration with peers. Decision (or non-decision) does not appear to be constant. This finding is significant because it would prevent non - decision or rejection of policy that is not properly understood. The study also revealed immense differences in context where the community college scheme is being implemented in India. As such this study provides insights for policy makers to avoid making one size fits all guidelines for implementation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_FA2016_Jerry_fsu_0071E_13623
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Community Schools in Mali: A Multilevel Analysis.
- Creator
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Capacci Carneal, Christine, Monkman, Karen, Miles, Rebecca, Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Community schools are alternative education strategies hailed in some circles as successful educational development endeavors. In Mali, support for community schools began in 1992 using nonformal education strategies to engage rural Malians in a three-year endeavor to provide literacy, numeracy, vocational, and life skills to children in rural areas with limited access to formal schools. Today there are over 1700 community schools in Mali offering the full primary cycle. This study examines...
Show moreCommunity schools are alternative education strategies hailed in some circles as successful educational development endeavors. In Mali, support for community schools began in 1992 using nonformal education strategies to engage rural Malians in a three-year endeavor to provide literacy, numeracy, vocational, and life skills to children in rural areas with limited access to formal schools. Today there are over 1700 community schools in Mali offering the full primary cycle. This study examines community schools in Mali from multiple standpoints to analyze various stakeholder understandings of and experiences with them from three separate, yet overlapping levels: international, national, and local. What are the notions and practices regarding community schools at each level? Where do opinions of community schools converge and what are the differences in opinion at the various levels? The community schools in Mali, in this study supported with the assistance of Save the Children/USA, serve as a case study to present an embedded and layered analysis of the various viewpoints attributed to community schools by different stakeholders. The study includes an overview and examination of the nature and history of community schools in Mali based on analytical document reviews and field research done during the 1999-2000 academic year. Interpretive frameworks are considered to analyze why community schools are popular educational development strategies. The research contributes to a more integrated understanding of uses of and perceptions regarding community schools in Mali. At different levels diverse experiences exist regarding community schools. Results from the study include that communication between stakeholders at various levels is often challenging, that different ideas exist about what constitutes a "community" school, and that there is both harmony and disharmony in opinion regarding the direction of the community schools, particularly when referring to their ability to serve local versus national and international needs. Though community schools offer educational opportunities to marginalized children in Mali, there is debate over their purpose and ability to contribute to social change and development in rural, undeveloped areas. Paradoxically, though hailed for their "alternative" nature, community schools more often serve "traditional" education efforts and the international goal of achieving "education for all."
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-0088
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Comparing Working Conditions in Rural Honduran Schools with Low and Average Rates of Teacher Absenteeism.
- Creator
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Fortin, Marcela Murillo, Vogel, Lora Cohen, Luschei, Thomas, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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One of the reported problems in the Honduran education system is teacher absenteeism. Although precise rates have not been provided, it is generally understood that the absenteeism rates tend to be higher in rural schools because of several working conditions. Previous literatures suggests that working conditions such as multi-grade teaching, scarce resources and teacher pay, among others, make rural schools unattractive for teachers to work there. It also suggests that several reasons such...
Show moreOne of the reported problems in the Honduran education system is teacher absenteeism. Although precise rates have not been provided, it is generally understood that the absenteeism rates tend to be higher in rural schools because of several working conditions. Previous literatures suggests that working conditions such as multi-grade teaching, scarce resources and teacher pay, among others, make rural schools unattractive for teachers to work there. It also suggests that several reasons such as remote location, a recruitment process that fails to place teachers in their desired workplaces and union involvement, specifically in Honduras, are some of the reasons that teachers have to be absent at schools. This case study compares two schools with low and average rates of absenteeism to compare their working conditions such as multi-grade teaching, parental support, resources, government support and teacher pay in relation to teacher absenteeism. It also analyzes the teacher recruitment process, the location of schools and access to transportation, the union involvement and teachers' attitudes and motivations towards work as possible reasons for teacher absences in schools. The study finds that multi-grade teaching is the greatest challenge principals and teachers have in rural school in relation to teacher absenteeism and that scarce resources are very limiting. In this case, the reasons that explained most of the absenteeism patterns observed were union involvement and teachers' motivation and attitude towards work.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-2183
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- A Comparison of Academic Motivation of Academically Prepared and Academically Unprepared Community College Students.
- Creator
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Lavender, Mary Melissa, Bower, Beverly, Lake, Vickie E., Beckham, Joseph, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Community colleges across the nation have the challenge to educate students who come to postsecondary education at varying levels of academic preparedness. Cross (2001) and others (Agbor-Baiyee, 1997; Dweck, 2000; Hamilton, 1996; Hynd, Holschuh, & Nist, 2000; Miller, DeBacker, & Green, 1999; Struthers & Menec, 1996; Tuckman, 1996; Yair, 2000) have reported on the importance of motivation and its relationship to student learning. Although the research has proven to be of great value, it often...
Show moreCommunity colleges across the nation have the challenge to educate students who come to postsecondary education at varying levels of academic preparedness. Cross (2001) and others (Agbor-Baiyee, 1997; Dweck, 2000; Hamilton, 1996; Hynd, Holschuh, & Nist, 2000; Miller, DeBacker, & Green, 1999; Struthers & Menec, 1996; Tuckman, 1996; Yair, 2000) have reported on the importance of motivation and its relationship to student learning. Although the research has proven to be of great value, it often excludes a comparison of academic preparedness and the impact academic preparedness may have on motivation. This study compared academic motivation between academically prepared and academically unprepared community college students. In addition, the researcher collected data to determine whether a relationship exists between academic motivation level and academic achievement as defined by grade point average. Surveying students from a community college in northwest Florida, the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C) was used to assess motivation along a continuum as described by Deci and Ryan's (1985) self-determination theory. Results from this study indicate that there are motivational similarities between academically prepared and academically unprepared students and that there is a relationship between motivational levels and academic success.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3254
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- A Comparison of Online Communities of Inquiry.
- Creator
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Taite, Shenifa Moledina, Schwartz, Robert A., Dennen, Vanessa P., Irvin, Judith L., Johnson, Mary T., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State...
Show moreTaite, Shenifa Moledina, Schwartz, Robert A., Dennen, Vanessa P., Irvin, Judith L., Johnson, Mary T., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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As microblogging tools like Twitter and now Yammer become more prevalent, and as students from the Millennial generation continue to increase their enrollment in online courses, instructors and instructional designers need more information about how the technology their students have become accustomed to, affects the online learning experience. This research examined the degree and patterns of cognitive, teaching and social presence established by medical students, as a community of inquiry,...
Show moreAs microblogging tools like Twitter and now Yammer become more prevalent, and as students from the Millennial generation continue to increase their enrollment in online courses, instructors and instructional designers need more information about how the technology their students have become accustomed to, affects the online learning experience. This research examined the degree and patterns of cognitive, teaching and social presence established by medical students, as a community of inquiry, using a social network tool for course-related interaction. A computer mediated discourse analysis of interactions as they relate to Shea et al. (2010) assessment of Community of Inquiry framework provided empirical evidence of differences between and among two groups of students as they interact in Summer Clinical Practicum. The analysis revealed a significant difference in learner-learner interactions and social presence between those who primarily used a learning management system and those who used the microblogging tool, Yammer.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5221
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- A Comparison of Online Teaching Styles in Florida Community Colleges.
- Creator
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Barrett, Karinda Rankin, Bower, Beverly, Branson, Robert, Mann, Barbara, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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This study determined whether differences existed between the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who teach online. It was significant because distance education literature highlights a learner-centered teaching style as the appropriate method for teaching online, but limited empirical research exists to support this stance. In order to appropriately answer the research questions posed in this study, I implemented a basic correlational research design. The...
Show moreThis study determined whether differences existed between the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who teach online. It was significant because distance education literature highlights a learner-centered teaching style as the appropriate method for teaching online, but limited empirical research exists to support this stance. In order to appropriately answer the research questions posed in this study, I implemented a basic correlational research design. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) was used to measure overall teaching style and seven factors related to teaching style (Conti, 1979). Conti developed PALS in order to assess teaching style through positive and negative behaviors. Teaching experience, discipline, level of education, and employment status, which also have the potential to impact whether community college instructors favor a learner-centered style or a teacher-centered style, were considered in this study. The population consisted of all instructors at Florida's 28 community colleges who were teaching in an online distance education environment. MANOVA and ANOVA were used to analyze the data which was collected through a web-based administration of PALS. Effect size was also included. Results depicted a difference in the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who taught online. Women demonstrated a more learner-centered style than men in terms of their overall teaching style. Differences were also apparent based on the second factor, Personalizing Instruction, in which case, women were more likely than men to implement a more learner-centered teaching style. In terms of the demographic variables, differences in teaching styles were noted based on discipline and whether the instructor taught full or part-time. Those instructors who taught in disciplines considered soft/applied implemented a more learner-centered style. Instructors in the hard/pure disciplines demonstrated a greater use of a teacher-centered style. Contrary to prior research, part-time instructors used a more learner-centered style. A difference in the teaching styles of men and women depicted teaching styles that are below the original norms of PALS, highlighting an online teaching style that is more teacher-centered. Even though women take a more learner-centered approach to teaching than men, the online environment has yet to evolve into a truly learner-centered environment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-7034
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Concept of Quality in Cambodian Teacher Training: A Philosophical Ethnography.
- Creator
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Stanfill, Enoch M., Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Ruse, Michael, Rutledge, Stacy A., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show moreStanfill, Enoch M., Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Ruse, Michael, Rutledge, Stacy A., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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Research shows that quality teachers are the single most significant influence on the quality of education available to students. This recognition of the importance of quality teachers on quality education is reflected in goal 6 of the EFA: Quality Education. EFA proxies for quality, however, are dubious measures of the concept......What does the concept quality mean when applied to the work of teaching or to the business of education? How do we know quality when we see it? Is it the same...
Show moreResearch shows that quality teachers are the single most significant influence on the quality of education available to students. This recognition of the importance of quality teachers on quality education is reflected in goal 6 of the EFA: Quality Education. EFA proxies for quality, however, are dubious measures of the concept......What does the concept quality mean when applied to the work of teaching or to the business of education? How do we know quality when we see it? Is it the same from culture to culture or does it differ based on the educational aims of different societies? Despite EFA's emphasis on improving the quality of education, quality education remains elusive in many developing countries. Cambodia, for instance, has enjoyed considerable international assistance for more than four decades, yet the quality of Cambodian education remains low by both Cambodian and international standards. What might explain the failure of decades of assistance to improve education in Cambodia? This study argues that before this question can be answered and more effective steps taken in the development of Cambodian education we must have a clearer understanding of the conceptualization and operationalization of the concept "quality" in the constructs "quality teachers" and "quality education" in the Cambodian context to understand whether and how it differs from that implied in the theory and practice of Cambodia's international donors. Differences may help explain the difficulty encountered in improving the quality of education in Cambodia and point to more effective strategies to achieve this elusive goal. To this end, this inquiry deployed a hybrid methodology called philosophical ethnography to discover the conceptions of quality held by Khmer teacher training instructors and administrators. This discovery is guided by the idea of dialogue expressed by Jürgen Habermas and implemented by Paolo Freire. Findings indicate that there is a tension between traditional Khmer conceptions of quality and those emphasized in modern conceptions of quality education. Traditional Cambodian conceptions of quality reflect Buddhist social virtues including of ទាន (tian, generosity), មេត្តា (mey-ta, generosity), ករុណា (garunna, compassion), មូទិតា (mutita, empathetic joy), and ឧបេក្ខា (upeka, equanimity) to be a good person in a moral sense. This differs from modern conceptions of quality that emphasize equality, individual achievement, and economic drive for education to produce a person with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do some job that supports the growth of the economic machine. The results of this study suggest that the introduction of modern ideas of quality in education beginning with the French in the 19th century and continuing today through foreign aid donations have permeated the education sector in Cambodia influence how Cambodian teacher trainers perceive quality education with respect to how day to day operations of education should function and influence contemporary policy decisions. Despite the push to change reform Cambodian education, participants indicate that being a good person (in the Buddhist sense) is still how quality should be measured and should be the primary objective of Cambodian education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_2016SP_Stanfill_fsu_0071E_12853
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Conditions That Facilitate the Implementation of Distance Learning Components into Traditional Master's Degree Curricula in Nursing.
- Creator
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Tarrant, Sandra W., Lick, Dale. W., Rowe, Anne E., Thomas, Hollie B., Bower, Beverly L., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Distance learning components are being added to many undergraduate and graduate curricula in various academic fields. Nurse-midwifery has been a pioneering field in distance learning and the experiences of faculty and administrators with adding DL components to master's degree curricula provide insight for other administrators and faculty pursuing DL components for traditional master's degree programs. Through this study the researcher examined the conditions that facilitate the...
Show moreDistance learning components are being added to many undergraduate and graduate curricula in various academic fields. Nurse-midwifery has been a pioneering field in distance learning and the experiences of faculty and administrators with adding DL components to master's degree curricula provide insight for other administrators and faculty pursuing DL components for traditional master's degree programs. Through this study the researcher examined the conditions that facilitate the implementation of DL components into three master's degree programs in nursing. Faculty and administrator interviews were conducted and documents were analyzed through using NVivo 2.0 as a tool. Donald Ely's theoretical framework was employed, and findings indicate that the two most important conditions for implementing curricular change are Resources and Funding and Knowledge and Skills. The least important of the conditions was Incentives and Rewards for Participants. The study results show that there are similarities with the public universities which are divergent from the private university, which the researcher asserts relates to the differences in institutional missions. More research should be done with larger samples to determine the generalizability of these results across all specialty areas of nursing education as well as other academic fields.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1690
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Constructing School Organization Through Metaphor: Making Sense of School Reform.
- Creator
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Brandt, Nolia C., Herrington, Carolyn D., Laughlin, Karen L., Milton, Sande D., Russell, Terrence R., Osteryoung, Jerome S., Iatarola, Patrice M., Department of Educational...
Show moreBrandt, Nolia C., Herrington, Carolyn D., Laughlin, Karen L., Milton, Sande D., Russell, Terrence R., Osteryoung, Jerome S., Iatarola, Patrice M., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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Constructing School Organization Through Metaphor: Making Sense of School Reform is an in-depth case study of a K-12 laboratory school affiliated with a major state university. The school was undergoing a series of significant changes, mainly due to mandates brought about through educational reform policy and the upcoming loss and replacement of their school facilities. The study was of a particular period in time, and spanned approximately one year. The directed, open-ended questions asked...
Show moreConstructing School Organization Through Metaphor: Making Sense of School Reform is an in-depth case study of a K-12 laboratory school affiliated with a major state university. The school was undergoing a series of significant changes, mainly due to mandates brought about through educational reform policy and the upcoming loss and replacement of their school facilities. The study was of a particular period in time, and spanned approximately one year. The directed, open-ended questions asked during interviews with adults in the school were related to changes the school was undergoing, how these changes were being implemented, and how these were affecting teachers in relation to their teaching. Insights about the organization were in part gained by the use of metaphor as a tool for looking at organizational structure, and for viewing and describing the meanings that educators created around their roles, professions, and organization. Qualitative research was chosen as the best method for studying these research questions: 1) What understandings about the organization and the changes exist? A) What organizational metaphors are played out in this school undergoing rapid change? B) Are multiple metaphors conflicting or complementary? 2) What are the consequences of competing metaphors on educators and the organization? During times of change, an organization's metaphors are more readily apparent as the actors respond to the pressures of change: this was true at the lab school. Metaphors helped expose how individuals constructed shared meanings about their school, the changes impacting the school, and themselves as members of the organization. The study provides insights into how metaphor and rhetoric were used by educators and others to help construct the social reality of their school, a reality played out through the school's culture. Great concerns surfaced during the interviews about the role of the teacher, the needs of students, the purposes of education, and issues about reform. At the same time, holding the culture together were certain underlying values, characteristics, and expectations—mainly a commitment to student learning and the best interests of the students. The shared metaphor of "teacher" allowed the culture of the school to survive with some strength, even while co-existing with the dissonance caused by other, competing metaphors. However, the shared metaphor of "teacher" did not reduce the school's struggle with change, and the socializing aspects of the culture did not appear to be contributing to an overall understanding or acceptance of the proposed new school and new metaphors necessary to implement the changes and mandates. The research is descriptive in nature, and data (observations, interviews, and study of artifacts inside and outside of the setting) were inductively analyzed. The narratives of the people interviewed are the primary data. Aggregated data reported in this study are excerpts from the interviews with forty-seven adults within the school setting, compiled in such a way as to represent the repeated issues and mix of "voices" of those interviewed. The thick data collected provides information on how educators within the school were making sense and meaning of themselves and their organization as the school underwent great change. The events that took place were observed, recorded, and analyzed through open coding into themes that described the changes, metaphors, negotiations, and processes taking place: these constructed the realities within the school. Metaphors were seen to effect and be affected by a series of changes within the school and by the rhetoric of school members. The researcher's intention was accomplished--i.e., to examine and consider how the institutional arguments, as reported by stakeholders in the organization, were negotiated through a complex, interactive process. The examination was fundamentally based on the metaphors used by the participants, which both revealed and helped to create their views of the reality of the organization. Metaphors were also used in the production of the study as a means of helping the reader understand what was taking place in this school. As a way of looking at people's behavior, organizations, and life constructs, metaphors serve as tools for understanding, identifying, and describing how educators within the school perceive and construct their organization and manage their work lives. Educators use metaphor to construct their realities of themselves as professionals and of their school as an organization, to share beliefs and realities with others, and to influence decisions. Some of the metaphors found and used in the lab school had to do with organizational issues, others with individual issues, including identity. Understanding the dynamics between the existence and use of metaphors, organization structure, and the people who work in the organization is important to educators and policy makers as schools re-create themselves to meet new mandates. The narratives describe and give insights into how people in the organization used metaphors to organize their structures and work, and to negotiate, manage, construct, and deal with their realities and relationships with each other. The narratives and descriptions of the research also use metaphors to facilitate readers' understanding of this study and to link the narratives of those interviewed back to the literature review. The narrative data reveals that mandated changes were affecting the identity of teachers as professionals. Educators' typifications of themselves as teachers, with the best interests of students at heart, allowed the educators to function as a school that enjoyed some measure of success, even when their was no consensus around changes in the organization. Paradoxes existed in the form of opposing beliefs and realities of what was happening in the school, and educators talked about the school and its changes in ways that were contradictory to how they behaved as members of the school. Some educators talked about the organization as a dictatorship or other type of organization, while almost all of them behaved in ways consistent with a learning organization. On occasion, educators talked about competing realities within the school. Consternation about changes in the school and individual realities caused a variety of reactions, including fight-flight, avoidance, and engagement. The use of rhetoric to inform, build, or eliminate metaphors was in evidence, and members of the school tended to group with "like minded" people who reinforced their existing beliefs. People in the school interacted with others based on each person's own stock of knowledge, which was informed, enlarged, reinforced, and changed through metaphor: realities were a constant work in progress. These sets of old assumptions and beliefs helped create paradoxes: the teachers who were interviewed focused on their stressors and distress about the changes in the school, versus the way they interacted as a learning organization with the students and each other in positive and supportive ways. This focus on the negative aspects of changes in the school appeared to be in large part due to the probe questions with which the researcher began the interviews. While the school's Director focused on organizational metaphors, the teachers were focused on person-centered metaphors. There was no metaphor being promoted by the leaders in the school that was more attractive than the metaphors and identities members of the school were losing, particularly those of "lab" school, "professor," and "families." Organizational literature mainly deals with organization-centered metaphors, whereas the person-centered ones that teachers related to most point to a gap in the organizational literature. The metaphor of democracy, which is important to site-based management such as the school had, was jeopardized by a lack of participation across stakeholders such as parents, teachers, and students. There were many valid reasons for this lack of participation, as reflected in the study and which were in agreement with findings of other researchers. School members struggled with issues unique to their school, but also those faced by other lab and site-managed schools and the U.S. workforce in general. Communications appeared to be one of the biggest barriers to effecting change, and the reasons for communication breakdowns were varied. In addition, the school was undergoing a transformation from lab school to professional development school (PDS), yet forty-five of the forty-seven people interviewed seemed unaware of this. The transformation to a PDS reflected the trend of other lab schools in the U.S. that had managed to survive by changing their organizations and identities. Change brought on other challenges as well: those who taught core or state-tested disciplines were challenged to cover all of the requirements and still keep their teaching engaging, up-to-date, and meaningful. Most of the excitement and innovation in the middle and high schools seemed to come from "elective" courses, with the exception of an integrative arts-based program that included core courses, such as math and science. Although educators focused mainly on the stressors caused by change when questioned about change during the interviews, the majority of them behaved in the sharing and interactive ways of a learning organization. At the same time that the school had most of the attributes of a learning organization, most of the educators did not appear to understand key points of this type organization, particularly that chaos is real and embraceable, that change is constant, quick, and part of an everyday process.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3130
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Content Analysis of the Practicum Course in the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/Administration Program.
- Creator
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Norman, Scott W., Irvin, Judith L., Brummel-Smith, Kenneth, Rutledge, Stacey, Turner, Jeannine, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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In this study, I explored the overall efficacy of the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/ Administration (MSEL/A) program at Florida State University (FSU), by taking a closer look at the introductory course, Practicum in Educational Leadership (the Practicum), as well as the final assessment, the student e-portfolio. The MSEL/A at FSU is an educational leadership program intended to prepare students to take and pass the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and to become school...
Show moreIn this study, I explored the overall efficacy of the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/ Administration (MSEL/A) program at Florida State University (FSU), by taking a closer look at the introductory course, Practicum in Educational Leadership (the Practicum), as well as the final assessment, the student e-portfolio. The MSEL/A at FSU is an educational leadership program intended to prepare students to take and pass the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and to become school administrators in the Florida public education system. Since 2004, the program has undergone change, first becoming a blended or hybrid program, then moving completely online in 2007. The Practicum is the first course taken in the overall MSEL/A program and is made up of several components, including the Discussion Board, the Leadership Development Plan, FELE preparation, and the Mentor Journals. Overall student achievement is evidenced by the collected works found in the online portfolio at the end of the program. The practicum course, as is the overall MSEL/A program, is a fully integrated on-line course using Blackboard for group discussion postings and assignment submissions. Other than a pre-semester on-campus orientation, students interact with each other and the instructor fully at a distance using internet and/or phone. This study included a content analysis using a mixed methods approach. Surveys and interviews were used for a more in-depth analysis of content. Descriptive statistics were used to collect demographic data.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-7531
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Court Intervention and Institutional Reform: The Bobby M. Case and Its Impact on Juvenile Justice Education in Florida.
- Creator
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Pesta, George, Milton, Sande, Blomberg, Thomas, Iatarola, Patrice, Bales, William, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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For more than 50 years, federal courts have intervened in both the correctional and educational fields on such issues as prison conditions, due process, school integration, and free and appropriate rights to education. However, researchers have debated the effectiveness of courts to produce institutional reform in corrections and education. Further, few studies have been conducted that identify the specific conditions necessary to produce institutional reform. This dissertation is a policy...
Show moreFor more than 50 years, federal courts have intervened in both the correctional and educational fields on such issues as prison conditions, due process, school integration, and free and appropriate rights to education. However, researchers have debated the effectiveness of courts to produce institutional reform in corrections and education. Further, few studies have been conducted that identify the specific conditions necessary to produce institutional reform. This dissertation is a policy and historical study of court intervention and successful institutional reform. Specifically, the dissertation is concerned with juvenile justice education reform, court intervention, and policy implementation. The education of incarcerated youth has historically been a neglected area, both in terms of its perceived value as a social service or rehabilitative factor and because it has largely been ignored by the scientific community. And unlike other special populations, juvenile justice youth have few advocates, having largely been viewed as a disposable population. This dissertation describes a class-action lawsuit referred to as Bobby M. v Florida and the court's efforts to intervene and reform the field of juvenile justice education. To that extent, this study aims to describe the conditions and major activities that led to successful policy implementation and institutional reform throughout Florida's juvenile justice education system. The study treats court intervention as a triggering event or catalyst in institutional reform, but also considers other post-litigation factors such as legislative response, accountability mechanisms, and the sustainability of the reform movement when determining the conditions and factors that led to successful and significant institutional reform. The paper concludes with theoretical and policy implications, contributing to court intervention and policy implementation literature by describing the conditions, impediments, and outcomes of successful institutional reform through court intervention.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5108
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Cultural Competency in Evaluation: A Black Perspective.
- Creator
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Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Driscoll, Marcy, Schrader, Linda, Schwartz, Robert A., Gaston-Gayles, Joy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Cultural competence in evaluation has different meanings for different evaluators. As evidenced by the literature the term "cultural competence" in itself conjures various definitions and implies certain assumptions. Given the elusiveness of an agreed upon definition, or even consistent terminology in evaluation, this research sought to understand cultural competence from a Black perspective. The goal of understanding cultural competence in evaluation from a Black perspective led to the use...
Show moreCultural competence in evaluation has different meanings for different evaluators. As evidenced by the literature the term "cultural competence" in itself conjures various definitions and implies certain assumptions. Given the elusiveness of an agreed upon definition, or even consistent terminology in evaluation, this research sought to understand cultural competence from a Black perspective. The goal of understanding cultural competence in evaluation from a Black perspective led to the use of a phenomenological research framework. While this research is not reflective of the collective perspectives and opinions of all Black evaluators, this exploration does attempt to provide information about the specific issues covered in this study. The purpose of this research is (1) to assess key characteristics about Black evaluators, (2) to identify the defining characteristics of cultural competence in evaluation, as identified by Black evaluators, and (3) to identify the skills one needs to become a culturally competent evaluator. A mixed-method approach, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods was used for data collection and analysis. For this study, quantitative data were collected through questionnaires and qualitative data were collected through interviews. These methods were chosen to help support the research purpose of better understanding the population of Black evaluators as identified in the Directory of Evaluators of Color and interviewing a sample of those evaluators. A questionnaire was developed using yes-no dichotomous responses, structured response items, and open-ended questions. In-depth interviews were also conducted during and after the administration of the questionnaire. The use of both survey data and in-depth interviews allowed the researcher to gain access to more descriptive information and thus provided more insight into the perspectives of Black evaluators. A review of the recent evaluation literature discloses several terms used when discussing the role of culture in evaluation. Despite the field's lack of agreement on the terms used to identify the role of culture in evaluation, the researcher adopted the use of cultural competence. In all survey and interview materials, cultural competence was the chosen terminology. The agreement of both the survey respondents and the interviewees in identifying essential components of cultural responsiveness and cultural competence, despite the use of different terms, indicates the impact of the interchangeable nature of the two terms. The inconsistency in the field signals not only the lack of consistency among evaluators and researchers, but also serves to weaken the overarching argument of the importance of culture in evaluation. This research contends that the terms cultural responsive evaluation and cultural responsiveness be adopted and used when referencing the incorporation of cultural context in evaluation. Clear distinctions between cultural competence and responsiveness should be used and enforced. The survey respondents and interviewees both included the knowledge of the evaluator (personal and cultural), as well as technical evaluation skills, in identifying the defining principles of culturally responsive evaluation. These principles overlap with and help to support the existing literature on culturally responsive evaluation. Blacks in evaluation have been an untapped research resource. Their professional and personal experiences help to add another dimension to the evaluation field. Their educational experiences show that they are credentialed and experienced in a variety of areas, including education and psychology. Their voices on cultural competence/responsiveness in evaluation are those that seem to lead the discussion in the field. Their scholarship creates a base from which to draw what we know about culture in evaluation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1389
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Cultural Identity Crafting Across Different Cultures in the U.S: An Ethnographic Study of Temporary Migrant Korean Secondary Students Chogi-Youhacksangs and Girugi Students.
- Creator
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Park, Youngwoo, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, McDowell, Stephen, Easton, Peter, Rutledge, Stacey, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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This study explores the significantly growing number of Korean secondary students' study abroad experiences in the U.S. This study examines how these students deal with potential cultural conflicts as they move between Korea and the U.S. and how their parents cope with these changes in order to help their children to learn English and get an education abroad. They consider the U.S. education a beneficial tool used to gain cultural capital. In order to gain their cultural capital they come to...
Show moreThis study explores the significantly growing number of Korean secondary students' study abroad experiences in the U.S. This study examines how these students deal with potential cultural conflicts as they move between Korea and the U.S. and how their parents cope with these changes in order to help their children to learn English and get an education abroad. They consider the U.S. education a beneficial tool used to gain cultural capital. In order to gain their cultural capital they come to the U.S. as elementary and secondary students. These families see this action as a way to gain educational and cultural benefits. The central argument about these students has been focused on the benefits from the study abroad experiences in the U.S. Uniquely this study investigates how these students pay psychological and cultural costs for gaining cultural and educational benefits from studying and living in very different cultural environments in the U.S. Therefore, this study seeks to understand how cultural conflicts influence the negotiation process of these students' cultural identities while they transition across different cultural boundaries among home, school, and community in the U.S. To support the main arguments of the students' cultural identity crafting among different cultural boundaries in the U.S., Wenger's concept of identity in community of practices, Phinney's concept of bicultural identity, and Bourdieu's cultural capital theory will be used as tools for understanding the Korean secondary study abroad students underlying experiences in the U.S. This study takes an ethnographic approach to a qualitative methodology in addressing the importance of negotiating cultural identity and understanding cultural capital from the perspectives and experiences of the participants. The data was collected from field notes, the transcripts from interviews and club meetings, video recordings (the Korean Club Meeting), audio recording (in-depth individual interviews and the Korean Club Meeting), and research diaries. This study was conducted by recruiting two Girugi families and five Chogi-Youhacksangs and their guardians in Springville, a medium size city in a South East area of U.S. These participants agree with the idea that an American education brings more benefits than a Korean education. There were, however, somewhat different perspectives of the benefits of the education in the U.S. among the parents and the students. Their parents asserted that American education would be an advantageous tool used to gain cultural capital. The students also admitted that their educational experiences in the U.S. will provide a better position for them compared to their friends in Korea, whether they go back to Korea or not. The Girugi students and Chogi-Youhacksangs lived within very different cultural boundaries among home, school, and community. Their cultural boundaries are not only constructed by physical locations but also by relationships. While the students live within two different cultural boundaries, they try to manage their life accordingly in order to integrate the different cultural boundaries. Interestingly, the students seemed to keep practicing Korean cultural habits in the U.S., and the Korean cultural habits strongly influence their cultural identity negotiation. Moreover, huge cultural differences between their home/school and school/community sometimes hindered the students' smooth transition between two different cultures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5090
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Curricular Design for Authentic Self-Education.
- Creator
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Purpura, Michael Joseph, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Anderson, Tom, Schwartz, Robert A., Irvin, Judith, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State...
Show morePurpura, Michael Joseph, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Anderson, Tom, Schwartz, Robert A., Irvin, Judith, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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A review of the curriculum literature reveals historical shifts from: (a) scarcity to abundance of information; (b) from more to less centralization of curricular authority; and, (c) from the learner as a copy of the mentor toward greater individuality. These shifts make using the traditional curricular tool, the curricular canon, problematic. Two conspicuous problems are: how to clean through and organize one's extensive personal knowledge, and how to gain individual curricular freedom...
Show moreA review of the curriculum literature reveals historical shifts from: (a) scarcity to abundance of information; (b) from more to less centralization of curricular authority; and, (c) from the learner as a copy of the mentor toward greater individuality. These shifts make using the traditional curricular tool, the curricular canon, problematic. Two conspicuous problems are: how to clean through and organize one's extensive personal knowledge, and how to gain individual curricular freedom without abandoning the kind of formal structure traditionally provided by educational institutions. To address this dual problem, I provide philosophical underpinnings for the desirability of self-education without schooling, and then I explore what would happen if, rather than selecting topics of study based upon a socially-constructed past, the learner selects topics of study based upon their current inner culture. My central question: What kind of new curricular tool is it possible to create for making structured curricular decisions without an educational institution? To answer this question, I used an auto-ethnographic methodology that included thousands of hours of self-interviewing, personal document review, and reliance on non-verbal responses. This methodology served to create a curricular design method for making structured curricular decisions, customized to the individual rather than to society at large, and without institutional encumbrances. I describe this process for independent and authentic curricular decision-making in five steps: (1) inventorying; (2) authenticating; (3) organizing; (4) integrating; (5) curricularizing, and then present a streamlined version of this curricular tool as a potential alternative to curricular canonization. The tool is designed to obtain a curriculum that is categorically authentic to that with which the learner identifies (true to identity), aligned with the most highly prioritized values in in the learner's life (intrinsically motivating), and concentrated into topics the learner can engage in and study with a powerful sense of integrity (literally integrated). After describing this new tool, called the curricular catalogue, I discuss the ramifications of introducing a new tool to the field of education wherewith non-experts have the ability, by following a tutorial of the method, to create their own self-authenticated curriculum. These ramifications involve a paradigm shift from curricular prescription to curricular elicitation, from exclusively objective empirical concerns to both objective and subjective concerns, as well as a shift in the learning process from historic to present orientation. Research implications are discussed and the use of technology and gamification of learning are touched upon as potential means for introducing this new curricular tool.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-8395
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Data Mining Analysis of the Effect of Educational, Demographic, and Economic Factors on Time from Doctoral Program Entry to Degree Completion in Education.
- Creator
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McLaughlin, Gayle, Schwartz, Robert A., Rice, Diana, Beckham, Joseph, Gayles, Joy Gaston, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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The duration of doctoral studies has been linked to low persistence rates and can therefore be viewed as an indirect measure of risk for non-completion. In 2004, the median time between master's and doctorate in Education was 12.7 years, which was 4 years longer than the median for all fields. The purpose of this study was to identify demographic, educational, and economic factors associated with atypically long time (i.e., the highest 33%) between doctoral program admission and degree...
Show moreThe duration of doctoral studies has been linked to low persistence rates and can therefore be viewed as an indirect measure of risk for non-completion. In 2004, the median time between master's and doctorate in Education was 12.7 years, which was 4 years longer than the median for all fields. The purpose of this study was to identify demographic, educational, and economic factors associated with atypically long time (i.e., the highest 33%) between doctoral program admission and degree completion. The population included all doctoral recipients in Education from Florida public universities between 1998 and 2004 (n=773). Data mining was used to generate six models which were compared on the basis of variable importance and predictive accuracy. Tree and classification models were compared to models developed through the traditional statistical methods of discriminant analysis and logistic regression. Assessment of model predictive accuracy was based on four criteria as follows: cumulative misclassification rate, weighted misclassification rate, misclassification of the dependent variable, and model consistency. The models' predictive accuracy differed but there was general consensus on variable importance with educational and institutional variables superseding all demographic variables. The highest predictive accuracy was observed in the three tree models which validated the analytic merit of data mining in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-2524
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Demystifying the Advisor’s Role in Doctoral Students’ Persistence during the Dissertation Stage.
- Creator
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Willett, Brantley Paige, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Roehrig, Alysia D., Guthrie, Kathy L., Schrader, Linda Bethe, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of...
Show moreWillett, Brantley Paige, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Roehrig, Alysia D., Guthrie, Kathy L., Schrader, Linda Bethe, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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The dissertation stage, a time of independent research for doctoral students, is characterized by a lack of interactions with peers and faculty members, including the faculty dissertation advisor, that are typically present during earlier stages of doctoral programs (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Gardner, 2008b, 2009). As a result, students in the dissertation stage may experience isolation. This isolation, a result of a lack of interactions with faculty and peers, can lead to dropout from the doctoral...
Show moreThe dissertation stage, a time of independent research for doctoral students, is characterized by a lack of interactions with peers and faculty members, including the faculty dissertation advisor, that are typically present during earlier stages of doctoral programs (Ali & Kohun, 2006; Gardner, 2008b, 2009). As a result, students in the dissertation stage may experience isolation. This isolation, a result of a lack of interactions with faculty and peers, can lead to dropout from the doctoral program (Ali & Kohun, 2006). Given that students have the most frequent interactions with the dissertation advisor during the dissertation stage (i.e., Ali & Kohun, 2006), this study aimed to understand how faculty dissertation advisors aid in students' persistence during the dissertation stage. Specifically, the study answered (1) how faculty dissertation advisors define their role during the dissertation stage, (2) general strategies advisors use during the dissertation stage to help students persist, (3) strategies used by advisors to assist different types of students during the dissertation stage, and (4) how advisors facilitate academic and social integration at the dissertation stage. This study utilized a mixed methods research design to understand dissertation advisors' role in students' persistence during the dissertation stage (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2009). Specifically, faculty dissertation advisors from one college of education at a research university in the southeastern region completed a questionnaire and a subset of these faculty participated in a follow-up interview. Consistent with Barnes and Austin's (2009) findings, results showed that participants utilized several functions, including collaborating, mentoring, advocating, and chastising to perform their role during the dissertation stage. Participants also valued several characteristics, friendly/professional, collegial, supportive/caring, accessible, and honest, when performing their role as dissertation advisor. Additionally, participants indicated they use a series of general strategies, which Barnes and Austin termed as helping advisees be successful. Interview findings also identified five categories of threats to students' persistence during the dissertation stage, as well as corresponding strategies participants used to help advisees maneuver these threats to persistence. The themes included advisees' personal responsibilities, psychological concerns, time, dissertation project hurdles, and isolation. While Tinto's (1993) model of doctoral student persistence failed to elaborate on how the dissertation advisor facilitates academic and social integration during the dissertation stage, results indicated that, in general, faculty dissertation advisors do at least encourage advisees' academic integration by helping advisees plan and conduct research, aiding in their professional and workforce development, and encouraging them to publish articles and/or publishing articles with advisees. Additionally, dissertation advisors encourage advisees to connect with their peers and with faculty members inside and outside the academic department. However, less than half of participants encouraged advisees to connect with staff and administrators in the campus-wide community. Results of this study can be used to further research on the doctoral student experience and the advisor's role in that experience. Additionally, findings from this study can be used by dissertation advisors, academic departments, and university administrators in policy and standards of practice to help ensure students' persistence during doctoral programs, especially during the dissertation stage.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-9266
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Determinants of School Choice Level and the Effects of School Choice on the Performance of Traditional Public Schools.
- Creator
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Park, Juhyoung, Iatarola, Patrice, Becker, Betsy, Irvin, Judith, Rutledge, Stacey, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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School choice has been regarded as an important strategy to improve the educational system in the U.S. for several decades. This topic has received strong attention from scholars and an increasing body of research has investigated the effects of school choice on the public education system. However, little attention has been paid to the determinants of the level of school choice and no consensus has been reached about the effects of school choice on traditional schools. Using longitudinal...
Show moreSchool choice has been regarded as an important strategy to improve the educational system in the U.S. for several decades. This topic has received strong attention from scholars and an increasing body of research has investigated the effects of school choice on the public education system. However, little attention has been paid to the determinants of the level of school choice and no consensus has been reached about the effects of school choice on traditional schools. Using longitudinal datasets from Florida, in this study I explore which district and community factors may be associated with the level of school choice in the district. Also, this study examines the effects of school choice programs on student achievement in traditional public schools. Several empirical approaches are involved in addressing two research questions. First, I utilize Negative Binomial Regression (NBR) and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression to check how predictors are related to dependent variables across districts or schools. Then, as the main empirical strategy, fixed effects regression models are employed to investigate the relationship between predictors and dependent variables. Fixed effects model produces more precise estimation than the regression model by controlling for unobservable variables. Overall, regression results suggest that the educational needs of districts, such as district achievement level and the characteristics of the student body, are significantly associated with the level of school choice programs. In addition, districts' organizational and political aspects are important predictors for the level of school choice, although the degree of influence on the level of school choice depends on the types of school choice programs. This study, however, does not provide consistent evidence of a relationship between the level of school choice and student achievement in traditional schools. Although there are some cases that suggest school choice affect the performance of traditional schools, most results in my final model (a school fixed effects model) find no significant effects of school choice. These findings indicate that districts respond to educational needs of students by using school choice programs under the restrictions of organizational and political circumstances. However, in contrast to the expectation of school choice advocates, the effects of school choice programs on performance of the traditional schools are limited. This study contributes to the body of knowledge regarding the factors associated with the level of school choice within districts and the effects of school choice on traditional schools. Further study is needed on the effects of school choice on student achievement by using diverse measures of student achievement such as graduate rates and achievement gaps among racial groups.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-5092
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Dual System and Progressive Education: What Can China Learn from the U.S. and Germany's Vocational Education Systems?.
- Creator
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Wang, Aihua, Milligan, Jeff, Iatarola, Patrice, Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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Unlike the industrialized countries such as the U.S. and Germany, where the formal vocational education evolved from their social and economic development, the vocational education in China has to face challenges like strong influence of Confucianism, lack of philosophical foundation which values hands-on learning and vocational education and low level of universal education and industrialization. Confronted with human resource crisis and problematic vocational education system, China has...
Show moreUnlike the industrialized countries such as the U.S. and Germany, where the formal vocational education evolved from their social and economic development, the vocational education in China has to face challenges like strong influence of Confucianism, lack of philosophical foundation which values hands-on learning and vocational education and low level of universal education and industrialization. Confronted with human resource crisis and problematic vocational education system, China has turned to the developed countries for useful lessons and practices. This study compares secondary vocational education systems among China, the U.S. and Germany with the purpose to explore useful lessons that China can learn from the two countries. From the social functionalist perspective, Germany's dual system shows some advantages in solving China's human resource crisis and in providing structured and job-specific training to students. However, the current practice in China to learn from Germany has been limited and superficial, with some important features about Germany's dual system being neglected by researchers and policy makers. In addition, more attention should be given to John Dewey's philosophy and the progressive aspects of the U.S. vocational education system in order to help China to develop a more informed and balanced strategy to improve its vocational education, not only to meet the demand from its economies and industries, but also to achieve the individual student's development and social equity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-4605
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Dynamics of Implementing Continuing Professional Education Legislation: A Case Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.
- Creator
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Wesley, Marilyn Elaine, Easton, Peter B., Sampson, James, Ebener, Deborah, Rutledge, Stacey, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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The state/federal Vocational Rehabilitation program assists eligible individuals with disabilities in entering or returning to employment. In 1998, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, was further amended to require vocational rehabilitation counselors in the state/federal program to upgrade their academic credentials in order to be "qualified" to serve their customers. This generally meant that counselors who did not have a graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely...
Show moreThe state/federal Vocational Rehabilitation program assists eligible individuals with disabilities in entering or returning to employment. In 1998, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, was further amended to require vocational rehabilitation counselors in the state/federal program to upgrade their academic credentials in order to be "qualified" to serve their customers. This generally meant that counselors who did not have a graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field had to obtain one. There were a substantial number of counselors affected by the requirements of this Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) section of the law. States have been working since then to comply with the requirement. Some have achieved full compliance while others continue to struggle. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation strategies used by various states over the past twelve years in order to achieve compliance with the federal CSPD mandate, to investigate the lessons learned from their successes and failures, and to determine the role that adult and continuing education has played in the successful initiatives. This study operates within the framework of adult education and represents an instance of implementation research that is devoted to identifying policy solutions to a pressing social problem and to understanding better the training-related factors that underlie these solutions. This project used a case study approach to investigate, analyze, and compare the "implementation histories" of an elite sample of states and a key informant interview strategy to help interpret the data assembled in this way. Triangulation between the two sets of data was used to analyze the record of individual and collective experiences and to draw conclusions. Study findings included the following: while there were some differences in the implementation strategies employed by the states, none emerged as clear markers for implementation success or failure; high-compliance states shared some common economic and demographic characteristics including higher median household income, less diverse population, lower state agency turnover rate, and higher average counselor starting salary than low- and medium-compliance states; the proliferation of online Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling programs has substantially assisted state agencies in working toward compliance; compliance success is substantially hampered by the shortage of qualified personnel, and it appears that the shortage will continue and is likely to get worse. These findings suggest that it is unlikely that full compliance will be achieved under the current system and structure.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-1179
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Ecolas Do Amanhã: Building Islands of Educational Excellence in the Favelas of Rio De Janeiro?.
- Creator
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Pereira Amorim, Erica, Herrington, Carolyn D., Blomberg, Thomas G., Iatarola, Patrice, Ramos Mattoussi, Flavia, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College...
Show morePereira Amorim, Erica, Herrington, Carolyn D., Blomberg, Thomas G., Iatarola, Patrice, Ramos Mattoussi, Flavia, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less - Abstract/Description
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The low quality of educational services in the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro is well documented (e.g., Abramo, 2003; Alves, Franco & Ribeiro, 2008; Cano, 2012; Cavallieri e Coelho, 2003; Frigotto, 2004; Henriques, 2000; Henrique & Ramos, 2011; Machado, 2002 & 2008; Valladares, 2010). In 2010, the average twenty-five year-old living in a favela would not have completed primary school. The adult illiteracy rate is almost three times higher in the favelas as compared to the population that...
Show moreThe low quality of educational services in the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro is well documented (e.g., Abramo, 2003; Alves, Franco & Ribeiro, 2008; Cano, 2012; Cavallieri e Coelho, 2003; Frigotto, 2004; Henriques, 2000; Henrique & Ramos, 2011; Machado, 2002 & 2008; Valladares, 2010). In 2010, the average twenty-five year-old living in a favela would not have completed primary school. The adult illiteracy rate is almost three times higher in the favelas as compared to the population that does not live in Rio's slums (Rocha & Carusi, 2012). Alves and Ribeiro (2008) showed that children and teenagers that live in favelas are 51 times less likely to be in the appropriate grade given their age compared to a similar population that does not live in the favelas. The achievement gap between high and low-income children is widely discussed in the literature (see, for example, Bowles, 2014; Caldas & Bankston, 1997; Clark, 1984; Heyneman & Loxley, 1983; Lee & Burkam, 2002; Reardon, 2011). I was interested in exploring to what extent educational policies that target low-income students were contributing to reducing the achievement gap between poor and non-poor children. To study this topic, I investigated a specific educational initiative implemented in the city of Rio de Janeiro, called Escolas do Amanhã (EDA), and its potential effects on student learning outcomes, as proxied by average test scores in math and Portuguese, and by average dropout rates of EDA schools compared to non-EDA schools. Given the lack of random selection, a simple comparison between outcomes achieved at schools within and outside of the program would threaten to bias estimates of the program's effect. To address the sample selection bias, I employed the propensity score matching technique to build similar treatment and comparison groups such that the only observed difference could be attributed to program differences. The assumption is that the schools would have the same disposition to receive the treatment (propensity score), but one group would receive the treatment and the other would not. In the analysis of 4th grade Prova Brasil scores and drop out rates, one hundred and forty-one control units have been matched to one hundred and forty-seven Escolas do Amanhã schools. For the outcomes related to 8th grade standardized assessment score, one hundred and seven control units have been matched to one hundred and forty-seven Escolas do Amanhã. Although EDA schools underperform in mathematics and Portuguese test scores compared to non-EDA schools, the differences were not significant. Therefore, based on my findings, there is no credible evidence as to whether the Escolas do Amanhã program improves students test score or the likelihood of completing elementary education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- FSU_2016SP_PereiraAmorim_fsu_0071E_13063
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Educating for Democratic Citizenship: An Analysis of the Role of Teachers in Implementing Civic Education Policy in Madagascar.
- Creator
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Antal, Carrie Kristin, Easton, Peter, Cobbe, Jim, Milton, Sande, Milligan, Jeff, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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In democratizing states around the world, civic education programs have long formed a critical component of government and donor strategy to support the development of civil society and strengthen citizens' democratic competencies, encompassing the knowledge, attitudes and skills required for them to become informed and actively engaged participants in the economic and social development of their country. Such programs, however, have had limited success. Despite research that has identified...
Show moreIn democratizing states around the world, civic education programs have long formed a critical component of government and donor strategy to support the development of civil society and strengthen citizens' democratic competencies, encompassing the knowledge, attitudes and skills required for them to become informed and actively engaged participants in the economic and social development of their country. Such programs, however, have had limited success. Despite research that has identified critical components of successful democratic civic education programs, including the use of learner-centered methods and experiential civic learning opportunities rooted in real-world contexts, these programs continue to produce weak results. This study targets an under-examined link in the policy-to-practice chain: the teachers themselves. By applying a qualitative, grounded theory approach to analyze interview and observation data collected from public primary schools, teacher training institutes and other key sites in Madagascar where best practices in civic education have recently been adopted, this research presents original insight into the ways in which teachers conceptualize and execute their role as civic educator in a democratizing state. The impact of training and the diverse obstacles emerging from political and economic underdevelopment are examined and analyzed. Emerging from this analysis, a new approach to conceptualizing civic education programs is proposed in which a direct ('front-door') and an indirect ('back-door') approach to the development of democracy through civic education are assigned equal credence as legitimate, situationally-appropriate alternatives to utilize in the effort to strengthen political institutions, civil society and citizen participation in developing democracies around the world.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-0220
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Effects of Pre-Collegiate Academic Outreach Programs on First Year Financial Aid Attainment, Academic Achievement and Persistence.
- Creator
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Coleman, Angela Alvarado, Hu, Shouping, Rice, Diana, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
- Abstract/Description
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National statistics continue to show substantial disparities in the postsecondary enrollment and completion rates between more and less advantaged groups. Despite gains made on the part of low-income, first generation, and minority students in the areas of access, persistence, and academic achievement, gaps still exist (Avery & Kane, 2004; Gladieux & Swail, 1998; NCES, 2002; 2006). Pre-collegiate outreach programs have demonstrated success and studies suggest that college qualified low-income...
Show moreNational statistics continue to show substantial disparities in the postsecondary enrollment and completion rates between more and less advantaged groups. Despite gains made on the part of low-income, first generation, and minority students in the areas of access, persistence, and academic achievement, gaps still exist (Avery & Kane, 2004; Gladieux & Swail, 1998; NCES, 2002; 2006). Pre-collegiate outreach programs have demonstrated success and studies suggest that college qualified low-income students who receive college preparatory guidance are more likely to attend college than those who do not (King, 1996). However, a review of published reports of these programs suggests mixed and some negative results with very few programs having been subjected to rigorous evaluations. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of pre-collegiate programs on financial aid attainment, first-year persistence, and college GPA. Comparisons were made among two groups of first-time in college, low-income students enrolled in a first-year transition Summer Bridge Program at a four-year public institution in the academic years of 2003 – 2006. The treatment group consisted of college freshman enrolled in the University's first-year transition Summer Bridge Program who also participated in a pre-collegiate academic outreach program (i.e., Upward Bound, Talent Search, GEAR-UP, etc.) in high school. The control group consisted of college freshman with similar background characteristics enrolled in the first-year transition Summer Bridge Program who never participated in a pre-collegiate academic outreach program in high school. Data used in this study are records of 1,197 students who entered the institution from Summer 2003 through Summer 2006 and enrolled full-time. Using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and multiple regression the researcher examined whether students who participated in a pre-college academic outreach program persisted differently their freshman to sophomore year of college than non-program participants with similar student background characteristics. The study also explored differences in first-year cumulative college GPA and gift financial aid award amounts to explore if program participants were more likely to have higher grade point averages and obtain higher gift financial aid awards than non-program participants. When examining the total number of 1,197 students in the sample, the researcher found that 217 students (18.1%) did participate in a pre-collegiate outreach program in high school and 980 (81.9%) of the students did not participate in a pre-collegiate academic program in high school. The majority of students in the sample were students of color (N=1,008). The average gift financial aid award for the total sample was $3,810 with the average award for pre-collegiate program participants being $3,926 and $3,743 for non-program participants. The average first-year college GPA for the entire sample was 2.67. The average first-year cumulative college GPA was 2.51 for pre-collegiate program participants and 2.71 for non-participants. In terms of persistence, 1077 (90.0%) students from the total sample (N=1,197) persisted to their sophomore year. This figure consists of 189 (87.1%) of all pre-collegiate program participants (N=217) persisting and 888 (90.6%) of all non-program participants persisting (N=980). Multiple regression was used to analyze the impact of pre-collegiate program participation on gift financial aid attainment and academic achievement. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to address the research questions related to persistence. After controlling for student background characteristics, the main findings were: (1) participation in a pre-college program had no significant effect on the likelihood of receiving more gift financial aid for the first year of college when compared to non-participants; (2) participants in pre-college programs had lower probability of obtaining first-year cumulative college GPAs of 3.0 of higher than non-participants from similar backgrounds; and (3) participants in pre-college programs had lower probability of persisting to their second year of college than non-participants from similar backgrounds.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-3565
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Effects of Study Abroad on the Development of Global Mindedness Among Students Enrolled in International Programs at Florida State University.
- Creator
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Golay, Patricia A., Schwartz, Robert A., Audirac, Ivonne, Rutledge, Stacey A., Dalton, Jon C., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida...
Show moreGolay, Patricia A., Schwartz, Robert A., Audirac, Ivonne, Rutledge, Stacey A., Dalton, Jon C., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less - Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to determine if a semester of study abroad influenced the development of global-mindedness among students enrolled in International Programs at Florida State University. The primary research question focused on whether a significant difference in global-mindedness was achieved in students after a semester of study abroad. The study also examined (a) whether a significant difference in global-mindedness occurred for all study participants after one semester, (b)...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if a semester of study abroad influenced the development of global-mindedness among students enrolled in International Programs at Florida State University. The primary research question focused on whether a significant difference in global-mindedness was achieved in students after a semester of study abroad. The study also examined (a) whether a significant difference in global-mindedness occurred for all study participants after one semester, (b) if those among the study abroad group who had frequent contact with members of the host community differed significantly in global-mindedness from those who did not, and (c) if study abroad location influenced global-mindedness development. The instruments used for the study were the Global-Mindedness Scale (Hett, 1993) and the Host Culture Contact survey (HCC). The GMS measures five dimensions: cultural pluralism, responsibility, efficacy, globalcentrism, and interconnectedness. The HCC measures the type and frequency of contact with the host culture. Pre- and post- surveys were then administered to participants in a web-based format. The study abroad group and a non-study abroad group completed a demographic profile and the Global-Mindedness Scale at the beginning of the Spring 2005 semester. At the end of the semester both groups completed the Global-Mindedness Scale and the study abroad group completed the additional instrument. Of the 576 surveys that were emailed to students, 196 students responded to the pre-test. After post-testing, 73 usable surveys were returned. Results were based on those respondents. Post-test results for the study abroad group (n=49) were significant for cultural pluralism and the total post-test. There was no significant difference found on any dimensions of global-mindedness or the total post-test in the non-study abroad group (n=24). Post-test results also indicated a significant difference for cultural pluralism, responsibility, globalcentrism and the total post-test for all respondents (N=73) after one semester. A non-significant result was found among study abroad students who had frequent contact with the host culture. However, a positive correlation existed between "home-stay" and the development of overall global-mindedness for students (N=13) who responded "yes" to staying with a member of the host country at some point in their study abroad program. Location was found to be non-significant. The results confirmed two of the four hypotheses: (a) that there would be a significant difference in the global-mindedness of students after one semester, and (b) that there would be a significant difference between the global-mindedness of students who studied abroad and those who studied only at their home campus. The results obtained could be attributed to the study abroad experience, previous travel or work abroad, or students' multicultural experiences in their home country. For the study abroad group, cultural pluralism was the only dimension of global-mindedness found to be significant along with the total post-test. Learning in other dimensions may require instructional methods such as service learning or culture education to examine both the objective and subjective aspects of culture. Recommendations for future research include comparisons between the lesser attended Spain, Italy, and Panama study centers with the London study center to examine the impact of language or culture on global-mindedness development; the addition of focus groups and longitudinal studies to reveal more information about student characteristics and more detail on individual experiences and how they relate to the transformational learning; comparisons between the global-mindedness of study abroad students who have had a greater degree of domestic multicultural interaction with those who primarily originate from homogenous backgrounds; and the addition of Bennett's Intercultural Development Inventory to gauge at what stage a student is in intercultural competence.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_etd-4204
- Format
- Thesis