Search results

Title: Making Symbolic Meaning Through the Engagement of Intercultural Exchanges: The Relationship Between Intercultural Communication and Global Competnecy on a U.S. University Campus.
Creator: Evenson, Melissa L., Luschei, Thomas, Rutledge, Stacey, Schrader, Linda, Iatarola, Patrice, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study reveals how participants in cross-cultural programs engage in intercultural communication with one another and reflect on global competency. Researchers agree that many U.S. students graduating from universities today are not receiving the necessary tools to successfully work abroad. This study has two major research objectives: to examine the engagement of intercultural communication between two people from different cultures and their reflections on global competency. Data were...
Show moreThis study reveals how participants in cross-cultural programs engage in intercultural communication with one another and reflect on global competency. Researchers agree that many U.S. students graduating from universities today are not receiving the necessary tools to successfully work abroad. This study has two major research objectives: to examine the engagement of intercultural communication between two people from different cultures and their reflections on global competency. Data were collected from 10 participants who were paired up with a person(s) of a different culture in conversation partner programs. Semi-structured interviews, qualitative analysis, and software were other methods used. I use the symbolic interaction approach to examine the engagement of intercultural communication and how that relates to the global competency of students and community members participating in cross-cultural programs on a U.S. university campus. The symbolic interaction approach examines the symbols and meanings people have for things. Findings show that participants--U.S. and international students, scholars, and community members--engage in intercultural communication by two key methods: the initial cultural philosophy and the stating of cultural differences. Findings from the second research question, examining how global competency relates to intercultural communication, indicates that according to participants, self-awareness and cultural awareness are readily apparent.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0434
Format: Thesis

Title: Application of Workforce 2000/2020 Analysis to a Southern Rural Community.
Creator: Zuokemefa, Pade, Easton, Peter, Jones, Maxine, Herrington, Carolyn, Biance, Michael, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: 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: Study Abroad: Educational and Employment Outcomes of Participants versus Non Participants.
Creator: Posey, James T., Beckham, Joseph C., Easton, Peter B., Dalton, Jon C., Schwartz, Robert A., Gaston, Joy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State...
Show morePosey, James T., Beckham, Joseph C., Easton, Peter B., Dalton, Jon C., Schwartz, Robert A., Gaston, Joy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Show less
Abstract/Description: Many educators and business people are awakening to the growing need to better equip students with an international perspective and understanding. One common method to promote these goals is accomplished via a variety of study abroad programs offered through colleges and universities. The most often cited gains or benefits related to study abroad participation are in the areas of maturity, language proficiency, increased knowledge of a specific culture, and global-mindedness. Existing...
Show moreMany educators and business people are awakening to the growing need to better equip students with an international perspective and understanding. One common method to promote these goals is accomplished via a variety of study abroad programs offered through colleges and universities. The most often cited gains or benefits related to study abroad participation are in the areas of maturity, language proficiency, increased knowledge of a specific culture, and global-mindedness. Existing theories of learning, student development, and human capital suggest that participation in study abroad could theoretically lead to increased psychological and skill growth, thereby leading to positive educational and employment outcomes. Using archival Florida state system databases, this study investigated educational and employment outcome differences between study abroad participants and non participants. The study found common characteristics among gender, race, and high school academic achievement for study abroad participants. Although claims of causality cannot be made between study abroad and various outcomes, several significant associations were found particularly for educational outcomes. For example, 93.2% of study abroad participants received some type of degree compared to only 64% of the non study abroad group. The study abroad group also had a higher mean college GPA of 3.19 compared to the 2.74 for the non study abroad group. The non study abroad group was found employed in Florida at higher rates; however, the data was limited to those found employed only within Florida and did not account for those who might have found employment in other locations. The non study abroad group also had a higher mean wage than the study abroad group. However, when controlled by degree program and study abroad location, this wage difference dissipated suggesting degree program is the stronger indicator of wage outcomes. Implications for policy development and future study include more detailed examination of the study abroad experience as a recruitment tool, as well as a retention/graduation best practice. Institutions should also examine methods to increase minority participation in study abroad.
Show less
Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0469
Format: Thesis

Title: A Model for Assesing Future Retirment Adequacy of Recent College Graduates: Who Is at Risk of Under-Saving?.
Creator: Stiles, Jason L., Schwartz, Robert A., Cooper, David J., Dalton, Jon C., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of...
Show moreThis study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of intention for these students regarding retirement investment? Identifying the segments of the new college graduate population that are particularly unprepared to act on retirement financial decisions is the first step toward intervening in a persistent and growing problem. Higher education administrators equipped with this information, as with existing efforts in student retention, have the ability to develop targeted strategies to improve educational outcomes. The theory of Optimal Retirement Investment is advanced as a result of the study. Conducted at two large four-year public universities, this study confirmed previous academic and popular observations that students are unprepared and will likely under-save for retirement. The study employed a quantitative causal comparative methodology and included the development of an online survey and two stochastic simulation models. The data generated from the survey and models were analyzed through reliability analysis to develop sub scales, and correlation and multiple regression analysis to identify factors influencing retirement literacy, retirement intention, and ultimately projected retirement savings balances.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0384
Format: Thesis

Title: Unique but Inclusive Individuality: A Dialogue with John Dewey and Liang Shuming Toward Educational Reform in China.
Creator: Zhang, Huajun, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Anderson, Tom, Easton, Peter, Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This dissertation is written in the context of the radically changing Chinese society, in which the individual easily gets separated from the meaning of life and follows the dualistic social conventions for success. This problem is consistent with the situation of the present educational practice in schools. Education does not respond students' disconnection from the radically changing society and thus cannot provide a meaningful resource for cultivating individuals' self-identity. Thus, this...
Show moreThis dissertation is written in the context of the radically changing Chinese society, in which the individual easily gets separated from the meaning of life and follows the dualistic social conventions for success. This problem is consistent with the situation of the present educational practice in schools. Education does not respond students' disconnection from the radically changing society and thus cannot provide a meaningful resource for cultivating individuals' self-identity. Thus, this dissertation suggests a philosophy of education which highlights the cultivation of students' unique but inclusive individuality so that the individual learns how to nurture one's own mind in this radically changing context rather than getting lost and feeling empty. This conception of individuality is inspired by the American pragmatist John Dewey and the Chinese Confucian scholar Liang Shuming, a contemporary of Dewey. I use a methodology of comparative philosophy of education to discuss my proposal on individuality and education. I am not trying to write Dewey and Liang's thought in a "right" way; neither am I trying to compare Dewey and Liang's thought for judgment. It is more about dialogue and communication, to learn from different but related thoughts for solving the problem in the present. I am using a pragmatic approach to launch a philosophical discussion. Because my concern is shared by Dewey and Liang in their respective projects, this dialogue can be meaningful for my question. After discussing Dewey's and Liang's thoughts, I propose a new idea of education: to cultivate a unique but inclusive individuality by going through inner struggles and gaining self-enlightenment. Finally, the dissertation proposes story-telling as a teaching approach to create new space for students and teachers in school. Story-telling is a method that the individual can interpret life experience in multiple ways to explore different alternatives and possibilities she may have and to find the consistent meaning to connect the past to the present. It is also a method of self-expression when the individual goes through inner struggle and finds connection with the world outside. In this effort, the individual is developing a mind of her own. Narrative is thus a method worth trying in the current educational practice to formulate a new philosophy of education which emphasizes the development of unique and inclusive individuality as one goal of education.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0538
Format: Thesis

Title: The Impact of Engagement on the Academic Performance and Persistence of First-Year College Students at a Four-Year Public Institution.
Creator: Zhou, Juan, Hu, Shouping, Rice, Diana, Dalton, Jon, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Higher education stake holders and policy makers attach great importance to the accountability issue. Among the accountability measures, student academic performance and persistence are the two most commonly used college outcomes. Numerous studies have been focused on the factors affecting academic performance and persistence to provide implications for institution administrators in improving the accountability issue. Among the various factors, student engagement is a very popular variable...
Show moreHigher education stake holders and policy makers attach great importance to the accountability issue. Among the accountability measures, student academic performance and persistence are the two most commonly used college outcomes. Numerous studies have been focused on the factors affecting academic performance and persistence to provide implications for institution administrators in improving the accountability issue. Among the various factors, student engagement is a very popular variable that is demonstrated to be related to college outcomes. Engagement is defined as (Hu & Kuh, 2002, p.555) "the quality of effort students themselves devote to educationally purposeful activities that contribute directly to desired outcomes". However, the engagement studies mainly looked at the outcomes throughout the college years. Few studies explored the relationship between engagement and student outcomes for freshmen. This study aims at expanding the research in this area. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between first year college student engagement and their outcomes—academic performance represented by GPA and persistence. There are two guiding research questions to this study: 1) Is there a significant relationship between student engagement and student persistence among first year college students? 2) Is there a significant relationship between student engagement and student academic performance among first year college students? For the first question, since persistence was treated as a dichotomous variable in the study, binary logistic regression was used. For the second question, since GPA was treated as a continuous variable, multiple regression was used. The study also explored the impact of certain student characteristics on student outcomes. The set of characteristics includes gender, race/ethnicity, high school GPA, SAT/ACT scores, father's education level, mother's education level, financial aid, and enrollment status. The study utilized NSSE data from a southeastern four year public institution, combining it with student records obtained from the registrar's office from the same institution. There are 466 freshmen included in this study. These freshmen entered the university in the Fall semester of 2004. They took part in the NSSE survey in the Spring of 2005.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0517
Format: Thesis

Title: A Case of the Global-Local Dialectic: Decentralization and Teacher Training in Banten, Indonesia.
Creator: Young, Michael S., Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Carroll, Pamela, Rutledge, Stacey, Luschei, Thomas, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: 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: Predicting Student-Athlete Success: An Analysis of Graduation Using Precollege and College Experience Variables.
Creator: Autry, Shanna Lei, Beckham, Joseph, Berry, Frances, Wetherell, Thomas, Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Student-athletes are a highly visible subgroup of students whose performance and visibility can influence the formation of an institution's image (Zimbalist, 1999). Research must continue to advance understanding of the variables that lead to student-athlete academic success in order to enhance opportunities for student-athletes, improve institutional performance, and address important national priorities for intercollegiate athletics and higher education. The purpose of this study is to...
Show moreStudent-athletes are a highly visible subgroup of students whose performance and visibility can influence the formation of an institution's image (Zimbalist, 1999). Research must continue to advance understanding of the variables that lead to student-athlete academic success in order to enhance opportunities for student-athletes, improve institutional performance, and address important national priorities for intercollegiate athletics and higher education. The purpose of this study is to identify those precollege and college experience variables that influence student-athlete success at a major Division I institution in the Southeastern United States during a three year period from 2000 to 2003. Study variables included: race; gender; residency; high school grade point average; SAT composite score; scholarship amount; classification; major; Pell Grant eligibility; GPA for each of the first three semesters; number of degree hours each of the first three semesters; number of withdrawals for each of the first three semesters; and participation in an enrichment program. Logistic regression analyses were used to test the data. The precollege variables related to residency and SES were significant predicting variables of student-athlete graduation or non-graduation within six years. Student-athletes from out-of-state were less likely to graduate than in-state student-athletes. Student-athletes from low SES backgrounds, as determined by Pell Grant eligibility, were less likely to graduate than those from higher SES backgrounds. In regard to the college experience variables, sport, more specifically golf, was a positive and significant predictor of graduation within six years. Student-athletes who declared math and science majors at enrollment were significantly less likely to graduate. Higher GPA the second term of enrollment was negatively related to student-athlete graduation within six years. Finally, the number of degree hours student-athletes enrolled in the first, second, and third term was a significant predictor of student-athlete graduation. The overall conclusion of this study is that selected precollege and college experience variables appear to influence six year graduation among student-athletes.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0262
Format: Thesis

Title: A Longitudinal Comparison of Vocational and Non-Vocational Education Students in Leon County Public Secondary Schools: A Study of May 1999 & May 2000 High School Graduates.
Creator: Erefah, Ebenezer W., Thomas, Hollie, Rehm, Marsha, Snyder, William R., Greenwood, Bonnie B., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to compare vocational and non-vocational education students in public secondary schools in Leon County, Florida, to see whether high school graduates who were in vocational education programs in their 9th through 12th grades had more advantages in graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment, and wages, over their non-vocational education counterparts. In order to achieve this purpose, data for Godby, Leon, Lincoln, and Rickards High Schools' May 1999,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to compare vocational and non-vocational education students in public secondary schools in Leon County, Florida, to see whether high school graduates who were in vocational education programs in their 9th through 12th grades had more advantages in graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment, and wages, over their non-vocational education counterparts. In order to achieve this purpose, data for Godby, Leon, Lincoln, and Rickards High Schools' May 1999, and May 2000, high-school and post-highschool were collected, analyzed, and compared. Eighth grade data were also collected to determine the subjects' socioeconomic status. A sample of 2,698 students was obtained from the four high schools involved in this study. The data for the investigation were obtained from the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) "Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program" (FETPIP) and "Educational Information and Accountability Services" (EIAS) databases. Through "skewed" (rearranged) students identification numbers, it was possible to track each high school graduate to their eighth grade data. The analytical method heavily relied on descriptive statistics with intensive use of tables. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to summarize and analyze the data. Findings The study indicated that students in high school vocational education programs may have some advantages over non-vocational education students in terms of high school graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment and probably wages. The data indicated that participation in vocational education programs were distributed among the students that were representative of both the lower socioeconomic status (LSES) and the higher socioeconomic status (HSES) categories, male and female, black and white. The data further indicated that vocational education programs may have motivational values to the advantage of academically disadvantaged students, especially those within the LSES category, thereby enabling them to remain in school and graduate. Analyses of the data showed that in most cases, vocational education students, especially within the LSES, reported a higher rate of graduation from high school than their non-vocational education colleagues. The data further showed that in some cases, especially among the LSES black students, the more vocational education credits or courses a student earned in high school, the more likely the student graduates from high school. The study also indicated that vocational education high school graduates were very competitive against their non-vocational education high school counterparts in terms of college enrollments. In some cases, especially among the LSES students, vocational education high school graduates reported higher rates of university enrollments than non-vocational education students. Regarding community college enrollment, the study indicated that both vocational and non-vocational education high school graduates were more attracted to the Associate in Arts (AA) degrees (college transfer option) than the Associate in Science (AS) degree programs (more professional and work option). The study further indicated that most vocational education high school graduates who enrolled in undergraduate BS degree programs were majoring in the fields similar to the vocational education programs in which they were trained in high school. Higher rates of employment were also reported among vocational education high school graduates than among non-vocational education counterparts. The study further showed that high school graduates who had participated in a Diversified Cooperative Education vocational program (internship or on-the-job training program), Business Technology Education, Computer Science Education, and Family and Consumer Science Education in high school were more likely than were non-vocational education colleagues to be employed in professional fields such as banks, doctors offices, law enforcement, hotels, and with more hours, and presumably better wages. The study also indicated that in some cases, vocational education high school graduates who were working in the fields for which they were trained in high school earned more wages with more working hours than did their non-vocational education colleagues. Since these were only high school graduates with limited occupational skills and job experience, the wage differences between vocational and non-vocational education high school graduates may not be very wide. Conclusions: Participation in vocational education enhanced the chances of high school graduation, especially if the students earn two or more vocational education credits or courses, improved the chances of enrollment in undergraduate BS, AA, and AS degree programs, and also improved the prospect of job opportunities and higher wages, especially among the students and high school graduates who worked in the fields for which they were trained in high school. These benefits of vocational education over non-vocational education were more noticeably among lower socioeconomic status black male and female, and white female students and high school graduates.
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0554
Format: Thesis

Title: An Analysis of Performance-Based Funding Policies and Recommendations for the Florida College System.
Creator: 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: 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 Explanatory Mixed Methods Content Analysis of Two State Level Correctional Institutions' Pre-Release Handbook Curriculum Designs, Looking Through the Lenses of Two Philosophical Orientations of Education.
Creator: Camp, Sarah N., Brooks, Jeffrey S., Ratliffe, Thomas, Lang, Laura, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to discover how Minnesota's Department of Corrections, Making a Successful Transition: Adult Pre-Release Handbook (2005), and Indiana's Department of Corrections, Pre-Release Re-Entry Program Offender Handbook (2005a), curriculum designs promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when examined through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The study included a...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to discover how Minnesota's Department of Corrections, Making a Successful Transition: Adult Pre-Release Handbook (2005), and Indiana's Department of Corrections, Pre-Release Re-Entry Program Offender Handbook (2005a), curriculum designs promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when examined through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The study included a review of the ideologies of punishment, correctional education, and the department of corrections pre-release handbooks from the states of Minnesota and Indiana. The methodology implemented was a mixed methods content analysis. The design focused on a sequential explanatory, symbolized as QUAN - qual. Quantitative content analysis was implemented with the software NUD*IST. Qualitative content analysis required preliminary human coding completed by the researcher. The quantitative constructs discussed and examined were curriculum design and law-abiding citizenship. Curriculum design was supported according to the Functionalist and the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientations. Law-abiding citizenship was supported by terms from Mann (1838), Wynne (1986), Lickona (1993), and Hopkins (2002), the U.S. Department of Education (2005), and the Josephson Institute of Ethics (2006). The quantitative constructs applied represented the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientations. There were three that embodied the Functionalism philosophical education orientation associated with Durkheim, (1933) and Roosevelt (New Deal Network, 2003). Also, there were three that characterized the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientation associated with Plato, (514-520) and Nussbaum (1997). The ideologies of punishment have shifted throughout time because of political, economical, and social reasons, and these shifts have affected correctional education. Correctional education has undergone many reforms, but no reforms pertained to curriculum design. The handbooks were tools designed to guide offenders upon release and aid in the promotion of law-abiding citizenship. These pre-release handbooks were one of many education programs that were to aid in reducing recidivism rates. Hence, the intent of this study was to promote a new area of correctional education research, which improves offenders' probabilities of becoming law-abiding citizens, public safety, and public order, thus assisting in reducing recidivism rates. The mixed methods content analysis design ascertained how promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when looked through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The results revealed that both Minnesota's and Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook incorporated the traditional and concept-based curriculum designs in the initial quantitative methods. This was achieved using the terminology according to the constructs curriculum design and law-abiding citizenship. For instance, terms that represented the traditional curriculum in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook showed that term ORDER #2 was applied 28 out of 33 times. As well, in the Indiana DOC pre-release handbook EDUCATION was applied 15 out of 28 times. The terms that represented the concept-based curriculum in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook depicted that the term THINK #2 appeared and was applied all of 17 times. However, in Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook, THINK #2 appeared and was applied all 99 times. Also, these results supported that both pre-release handbooks were comprised of the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical orientations. As well, the data divulged that the pre-release handbooks promoted the correctional educational goal of law-abiding citizenship. This was shown through the use of the term RESPONSIBILITY, which appeared and was applied to the study all of 16 times in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook. Similarly, RESPONSIBILITY appeared 16 of 17 times in Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook. However, further inquiry was needed because the data did not definitively answer the research questions. The qualitative methods provided the confirmation that was required to answer the research questions. This was accomplished when the constructs from the functionalism philosophical education orientation and the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientation were applied to both pre-release handbooks. The results were blended with the quantitative results reaffirming that the pre-release handbooks consisted of both the traditional and concept-based curriculum designs, supported by the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical orientations. Moreover, verifying that the pre-release handbooks promoted the correctional educational goal of which law-abiding citizenship. Incidentally, the study revealed that Minnesota's and Indiana's Department of Corrections pre-release handbook support their state's mission statement in both of the quantitative and qualitative techniques. Also, both pre-release handbooks were developed to meet the objectives and needs of society (Chapman, 2002). Hence, the goal of correctional education was to release law-abiding citizens from prisons (Bosworth, 2002), and thereby enhanced the "social order and public safety" of society which was a basic principle of corrections (American Correctional Association, 1986, p. 58).
Show less
Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0067
Format: Thesis

Title: Community Schools in Mali: A Multilevel Analysis.
Creator: Capacci Carneal, Christine, Monkman, Karen, Miles, Rebecca, Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: 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: Public Forum Doctrine in Higher Education: Student Rights and Institutional Prerogatives.
Creator: Alexander, Laurence B., Beckham, Joseph, Rayburn, Jay, Brooks, Jeffrey, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Historically, public colleges and universities have been thought of as places where free speech and free inquiry abound. Institutional policy makers, however, have occasionally placed restrictions on student expression. When students have challenged these restrictions, courts have used public forum analysis to delineate the balance of student rights to free speech and the institution's right to self-governance. Using legal-historical research methods, this study traced the development of the...
Show moreHistorically, public colleges and universities have been thought of as places where free speech and free inquiry abound. Institutional policy makers, however, have occasionally placed restrictions on student expression. When students have challenged these restrictions, courts have used public forum analysis to delineate the balance of student rights to free speech and the institution's right to self-governance. Using legal-historical research methods, this study traced the development of the public forum doctrine in the case law and its application to students in higher education. Employing Edward H. Levi's three-stage evolutionary theory on the development of a legal concept, the study concluded that the public forum doctrine had completed the first two stages, which involved creation, development and classification. The doctrine, however, has not lost its viability, which is Levi's final stage. Other conclusions of the study: 1) Institutions have broad authority to make regulations that are consistent with their missions. 2) Despite this authority, policy makers are constrained by First Amendment principles. 3) Forum analysis enables administrators to designate areas for student speech. 4) The protection of student speech on campus is influenced by the context of the speech. 5) Administrators may exercise the greatest control over campus areas characterized as closed fora. 6) Although, the distinction between designated and limited fora remains ambiguous, courts have begun to suggest differences. 7) Content-based and viewpoint-based regulations on public forum speech are disfavored. 8) Regulations on public forum speech must be narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling government interest. 9) The judicial characterization of student publications as limited fora is undergoing legal challenge. 10) The conflict between the students' right to free expression and the public institutions' right to govern is dynamic and ongoing.
Show less
Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0165
Format: Thesis

Title: Teacher and School Time: Its Use as a Resource to Be Allocated, Teacher and Administrator Perceptions, and Perceptions of How It Has Been Influenced by Test-Based Accountability.
Creator: Neal, Brenda Gale Griffin, Rutledge, Stacy A., Roehrig, Alysia D., Preston, Courtney, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreNeal, Brenda Gale Griffin, Rutledge, Stacy A., Roehrig, Alysia D., Preston, Courtney, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This dissertation examines the complexity involved in teachers’ perceptions and experience of time on school-related activities. The Intensification Theory explains that test-based accountability has caused a time crunch for teachers, increasing their stress level and burnout rate. Research literature has shown that teachers experiencing high levels of stress and burnout correlated with lower student achievement. Teachers, like all professionals, have a finite amount of time, and as the...
Show moreThis dissertation examines the complexity involved in teachers’ perceptions and experience of time on school-related activities. The Intensification Theory explains that test-based accountability has caused a time crunch for teachers, increasing their stress level and burnout rate. Research literature has shown that teachers experiencing high levels of stress and burnout correlated with lower student achievement. Teachers, like all professionals, have a finite amount of time, and as the workload increases, less time is left for replenishment and personal family time. Time is a critical resource in schools, and how teachers navigate its use can determine the ultimate success or failure of students. In a variety of ways, researchers have shown an understanding of the relationship between time in school and student achievement. I studied three important aspects of time in a charter school in Florida: (1) How do 3rd grade teachers use their school-related time? (2) How do 3rd grade teachers and their principals perceive school time? and (3) How is high stakes accountability perceived to be shaping teacher time? Using observations and interviews, my goal was to give a voice to teachers and administrators regarding how they perceived school time. This was a phenomenological qualitative research study involving five third-grade teachers and two administrators in one K-12 charter school in Florida. It was a high achieving school with exemplary teachers, who fully experienced the time crunch brought on by test-based accountability. Third-grade was chosen because it was the first grade level at which students experienced repercussions due to achievement scores. With each teacher participant, I conducted semi-structured pre- and post-interviews, completed five full days of observations as a nonparticipant observer, and requested seven full days of time-use diaries for after work hours school-related activities. Two administrators were interviewed to obtain their perspectives on teacher time in order to compare teacher and administrator perceptions. After all data was collected, interviews were transcribed, and subsequently coded using NVivo software. During a preliminary exploratory analysis of the data, I developed themes and patterns relating to teacher time. Details of what occurred in the classrooms during a school week were used to cross-analyze the thematic data and to triangulate time perceptions. After the final analysis of the data, member checking was used to substantiate the accuracy of the findings. Findings related to time as a resource indicated that this third-grade team of teachers spent an average of 54 hours per week working on school-related activities, compared to their contracted workweek of 40 hours. Most often during school hours, teachers were engaged in several activities at once, or rapidly moving from one activity to the next, called context switching. Teachers did most of their instructional planning and professional learning outside paid schoolwork hours. Findings on teacher perceptions of time showed that teachers did not believe that theirs were finite, 9-5 type of jobs, as they spent many hours after contracted work hours completing tasks. Teachers felt they had enough time for instruction if they planned carefully, and left out creative activities. They described the three months before testing as “crunch time”, meaning they had to review, re-teach, and squeeze in any standards that were missed, and they shared how stressful this time period was. Administrators perceived that third-grade teachers used time effectively and produced outstanding results, but felt that teachers should have had enough time during paid work hours to complete all their work except grading papers. Responses from administrators on comparing their time with teachers’ time were mixed. One administrator thought that teachers had much more control over their own time than did administrators, and one thought exactly the opposite. In the third set of findings, teachers shared their perspectives on the precise pacing required by testing, and how instructional time was lost to time spent using pre-packaged test preparation materials during crunch time. Administrators noticed that teachers were allowed less leeway for creative activities in their instruction due to the time crunch. I found support in my data for six of the eight assertions of the Intensification Theory, suggesting that teachers’ time has become “intensified” due to test-based accountability. My findings regarding the pace of the school day for teachers and interrupted, fragmented time in the classroom confirmed what researchers have learned in the extant literature. Unlike the findings in the research though, Irvin School teachers in my study, were paid for a longer, contracted day than teachers in most schools in the surrounding areas of Florida, and they reported using that extra time to benefit students through greater teacher collaboration, increasing interest in lessons, and reflecting on student mastery of skills. Implications of this research include the need for further studies on teachers’ context switching during the school day and the contrast between teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher time.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_FALL2017_Neal_fsu_0071E_14132
Format: Thesis

Title: Leading the Way: How First-Generation Students Navigate Leader Identity Development.
Creator: Piotrowski, Alishia Hendels, Guthrie, Kathy L., Ferris, Gerald R., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show morePiotrowski, Alishia Hendels, Guthrie, Kathy L., Ferris, Gerald R., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The goal of this study was to provide insight into the experiences of first-generation students by learning how the participating group of first-generation students viewed their leadership identity development and what factors had the biggest influence on that development. This was a qualitative study that used the Leadership Identity Development model (Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, & Osteen, 2005) and the Input-Environment-Outcome model (Astin, 1984) to inform its’ conceptual model....
Show moreThe goal of this study was to provide insight into the experiences of first-generation students by learning how the participating group of first-generation students viewed their leadership identity development and what factors had the biggest influence on that development. This was a qualitative study that used the Leadership Identity Development model (Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella, & Osteen, 2005) and the Input-Environment-Outcome model (Astin, 1984) to inform its’ conceptual model. Fifteen first-generation students, who had taken at least one leadership education course, participated in the study. Findings from the study aligned with current research on first-generation students and leadership identity development. The factors that had the greatest influence on the first-generation student experience were parental involvement, high school expectations, the influence of mentors or diverse peers, and the knowledge of how to get involved in engagement activities. Students also shared feelings about the negative consequences of being a first-generation student, including the fact that their parents often don’t understand their experience, they often experience financial struggles, and feel pressure to succeed. Some students, though, derived motivation from their first-generation student status. In addition to factors that influence a student’s first-generation student experience, the study revealed three factors that exhibited the greatest impact on a student’s leadership identity development. These factors were whether a student initially enrolled in leadership education out of an interest in leadership, the number of leadership classes a participant had taken, and whether or not a student was involved in engagement activities. The study furthermore revealed that both leadership education and participation in engagement activities were influential in participants’ leadership identity development.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_FALL2017_Piotrowski_fsu_0071E_14187
Format: Thesis

Title: To Depart or Not to Depart?: Lateral Transfer Students' Experiences That Lead to Retention.
Creator: Marshman, Susannah S. (Susannah Shiner), Guthrie, Kathy L., Rice, Diana Claries, Cox, Bradley E., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show moreMarshman, Susannah S. (Susannah Shiner), Guthrie, Kathy L., Rice, Diana Claries, Cox, Bradley E., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This phenomenological, qualitative research study examined the experiences that influence students’ decisions to laterally transfer from one four-year institution to a public, regional, liberal arts university in the southeastern United States of America. The lack of prior research on the study of lateral transfer students and my professional interest in the topic have prompted the study. Most research studies look at the academic achievement of vertical transfer students; few studies examine...
Show moreThis phenomenological, qualitative research study examined the experiences that influence students’ decisions to laterally transfer from one four-year institution to a public, regional, liberal arts university in the southeastern United States of America. The lack of prior research on the study of lateral transfer students and my professional interest in the topic have prompted the study. Most research studies look at the academic achievement of vertical transfer students; few studies examine lateral transfer students as an independent subpopulation. Two 30- to 60-minute interviews with 18 lateral transfer students were conducted. Of the 18 lateral transfer students, nine were enrolled at the research site for at least one year and persisted to a second year, and nine were in enrolled in their first semester at the research site during their interview process. Horizonalization (Moustakas, 1994) and imaginative variation were used to determine the reasons for departure and persistence across four-year institutions, in addition to discovering how lateral transfer students transition academically and socially.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_FALL2017_Marshman_fsu_0071E_14175
Format: Thesis

Title: Haciendose un Líder: Leadership Identity Development of Latino Men at a Predominantly White Institution.
Creator: Acosta, Alan A., Guthrie, Kathy L., Ueno, Koji, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership...
Show moreAcosta, Alan A., Guthrie, Kathy L., Ueno, Koji, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Research on college student leadership is evolving, with more scholars studying the influence of social identities on the development of student leaders. Gaps exist in the literature on how race influences leadership identity development for many social identities in numerous institutional contexts, including for Latino men at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Using a case study methodology, this dissertation studied the influence of race on the leadership identity development of...
Show moreResearch on college student leadership is evolving, with more scholars studying the influence of social identities on the development of student leaders. Gaps exist in the literature on how race influences leadership identity development for many social identities in numerous institutional contexts, including for Latino men at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Using a case study methodology, this dissertation studied the influence of race on the leadership identity development of Latino men at a PWI at Southeastern University using the Leadership Identity Development (LID) Model (Komives et al., 2005) and Ferdman and Gallegos’s (2001) Latino Orientations as a conceptual framework. The study also used Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit) to honor the voices and experiences of the participants and disrupt the dominant narrative on leadership identity development for college students. A sample of 13 Latino men at a PWI in the Southeastern U.S. were selected and interviewed. Though the participants indicated their racial identity did not influence their views of themselves as leaders, they did share their respective cultures (Mexican, Colombian, Puerto Rican, etc.) did have an influence on how they saw themselves as leaders. Based on the themes that emerged, the study illustrated a merged leadership identity development process for Latino men at SU. The LID Model was mostly applicable to participants, with Yosso’s (2005) cultural wealth and cultural heritage identified as missing components in the Developmental Influences and Developing Self categories, respectively.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_FALL2017_Acosta_fsu_0071E_14131
Format: Thesis

Title: Challenging Legitimacy Gaps: Using Organizational Culture to Defend the Value of Outdoor Recreation Programming in Higher Education.
Creator: 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: 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: Love and Hip Hop: The Meaning of Urban Reality Television in the Lives of Black College Women.
Creator: Patterson, Shawna M., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Jordan Jackson, Felecia F., Guthrie, Kathy L., Khurshid, Ayesha, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show morePatterson, Shawna M., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Jordan Jackson, Felecia F., Guthrie, Kathy L., Khurshid, Ayesha, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This study seeks to make meaning of Black college women's interpretations of Black womanhood through the lens of urban reality television. This study highlights the consumption of urban reality television in higher education and works to determine how the confluence of identity development and media influences inform understandings of Black womanhood among Black undergraduate women. I examined their interpretations of (1) urban reality television, (2) Black womanhood, (3) campus life, (4)...
Show moreThis study seeks to make meaning of Black college women's interpretations of Black womanhood through the lens of urban reality television. This study highlights the consumption of urban reality television in higher education and works to determine how the confluence of identity development and media influences inform understandings of Black womanhood among Black undergraduate women. I examined their interpretations of (1) urban reality television, (2) Black womanhood, (3) campus life, (4) their interactions with family and friends, (5) role models, and (6) romantic relationships. My preliminary findings indicate that while the students frequently consumed these shows for entertainment purposes, their understandings of Black womanhood were largely shaped by family and role models. Still, parallels existed between the women's lived experiences and the portrayals of reality on television. Specifically, the participants determined the attitudes surrounding committed relationships among urban reality cast members reflect hook-up culture on-campus. Additionally, both the women cast in the shows and the respondents used predominantly White systems (educational system, the media) to acquire social mobility and improve their socioeconomic status.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2015fall_Patterson_fsu_0071E_12950
Format: Thesis

Title: Exploring Grade Retention Policy: A Case Study of How Elementary School Administrators and Teachers Make Sense of School District Grade Retention Policy.
Creator: Phillips, Joi N., Rutledge, Stacey A., Brower, Ralph S., Iatarola, Patrice, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show morePhillips, Joi N., Rutledge, Stacey A., Brower, Ralph S., Iatarola, Patrice, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Grade retention has long been at the center of education debates (Rothstein, 1998). Despite the overwhelming evidence of the negative effect of retention on student's self-esteem (Holmes and Matthews, 1984), attitude towards school (Jimerson, 2001), and increased likelihood of dropping out of high school (Roderick, 1994; Jimerson, Anderson, and Whipple, 2002), it is still difficult to promote students who do not have a mastery of the curriculum content of their current grade. But it is not...
Show moreGrade retention has long been at the center of education debates (Rothstein, 1998). Despite the overwhelming evidence of the negative effect of retention on student's self-esteem (Holmes and Matthews, 1984), attitude towards school (Jimerson, 2001), and increased likelihood of dropping out of high school (Roderick, 1994; Jimerson, Anderson, and Whipple, 2002), it is still difficult to promote students who do not have a mastery of the curriculum content of their current grade. But it is not just content mastery that is in question, there are other factors that make a student more likely to be retained. Students who are Black, male, and come from a low socioeconomic background (Bali, Anagnostopoulos, and Roberts, 2005; Meisels and Liaw, 1993) have an increased likelihood of being retained. Based on what we know about who is impacted the most by retention and the effects of retention on students, it is important to understand how grade retention policy is understood by those who are tasked with enforcing it. Two schools in a rural school district in Florida participated in this case study analysis. Twelve elementary school teachers and three school leaders provided a deeper understanding of how they have made sense of their school district's grade retention policy. The framework developed by Spillane, Reiser, and Reimer's (2002) informed this study. This framework breaks down sense-making into three categories: individual knowledge and beliefs, collective sense-making, and external pressures. The findings revealed that from the outset participants worked within the framework of external pressures. How participants individually and collectively made sense of grade retention policy was nested in the context of pressures within and surrounding the policy. Participants reported that prior experiences were an important influence in how they made sense of policy individually. If participants had a personal experience with retention they said this contributed to their understanding of and subsequent reaction to the policy. All participants reported making their decisions about retention in a context and culture of collaboration. Participants collaborated with each other on everything from intervention strategies to making final decisions on who should be retained.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2015fall_Phillips_fsu_0071E_12905
Format: Thesis

Title: Understanding Cost Patterns in Post-Secondary Institutions: An Analysis of Administration Costs during the Great Recession.
Creator: Jana, Asitava, Schwartz, Robert A., Rice, Diana Claries, Hu, Shouping, Tandberg, David A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership...
Show moreJana, Asitava, Schwartz, Robert A., Rice, Diana Claries, Hu, Shouping, Tandberg, David A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: In the last few decades, the growth of administration costs on higher education campuses surpassed the growth of instructional costs. The escalating costs of higher education, which are now outpacing general price levels, have raised concern for policy-makers who are challenged to increase access and make higher education affordable but are constrained by budgets. The recent recession, with wide-spread effect on economy, provided the opportunity to examine cost patterns on higher education...
Show moreIn the last few decades, the growth of administration costs on higher education campuses surpassed the growth of instructional costs. The escalating costs of higher education, which are now outpacing general price levels, have raised concern for policy-makers who are challenged to increase access and make higher education affordable but are constrained by budgets. The recent recession, with wide-spread effect on economy, provided the opportunity to examine cost patterns on higher education during the recession. This research explored different revenue, costs, staff composition, and state-level factors that might be associated with administration costs, and compared these to the association of the same independent variables on instructional costs for three types of public four year institutions. This research examined the changes in costs during the last recession. Panel data of a cohort of public institutions with non-missing values over a 23 year period of 1988 to 2010 were analyzed within fixed effect regression models. Revenue factors were shown to have positive relationships with administration costs, and other factors had mixed associations. While descriptive trend analysis showed a decrease in administration costs in the short-run, regression analysis incorporating 23 years of data did not show such decline from a long-term perspective.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2015fall_Jana_fsu_0071E_12889
Format: Thesis

Title: Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement: Analysis of Trends from Grade 8 TIMSS 2003, 2007 and 2011 Math Data for the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Creator: Ajjawi, Samah Al, Schrader, Linda Bethe, Rutledge, Stacy A., Klein, James D., Gawlik, Marytza A. (Marytza Anne), Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education,...
Show moreAjjawi, Samah Al, Schrader, Linda Bethe, Rutledge, Stacy A., Klein, James D., Gawlik, Marytza A. (Marytza Anne), Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: It is a common knowledge that student achievement is a product of multiple individual and environmental factors. The literature developed various models to organize and explain the relationship between some of these variables and student learning which translates into student achievement. Yet, no comprehensive model is able to capture all possible variables. Student's achievement is often related to student, classroom, and school factors. Teachers are an important factor in student...
Show moreIt is a common knowledge that student achievement is a product of multiple individual and environmental factors. The literature developed various models to organize and explain the relationship between some of these variables and student learning which translates into student achievement. Yet, no comprehensive model is able to capture all possible variables. Student's achievement is often related to student, classroom, and school factors. Teachers are an important factor in student achievement because they facilitate, manage and encourage student learning. Teacher professional development (PD) maintains an important role in developing teacher knowledge, skills and attitudes and consequently improve student performance. Guided by Guskey's Model for Teacher Change (1986), and Desimone's proposed core framework for studying effects of professional development on teachers and students (2009), this research study examined overall professional development, and its association to grade 8 student math scores in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The research also examined six types of professional development, content, curriculum, pedagogy, critical thinking, pedagogy and assessment. The teacher professional development variables were examined through Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003-2007-2011 eight-grade dataset for the Kingdom of Bahrain. The outcome variable was the TIMSS math score in these years. The Ministry of Education also adapted a new professional development policy to encourage teachers in Bahrain to participate in PD. The research also examine the policy's relationship to change in student achievement and to the change in PF programs in Bahrain. Bahrain invests a fair amount of the educational budget in PD for teachers with the belief that PD is associated with student achievement. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the overall professional development is positively associated to student achievement. Math content and math curriculum PD programs are associated to student achievement. Professional development in assessment, IT, pedagogy and critical thinking are not significant variables. Introducing the 2008 new professional development policy in the country to encourage more teachers to be involved in PD programs was not significant to student achievement. That suggests that investment in teacher professional development activities is a good investment, yet needs to be closely monitored and periodically evaluated.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2016SP_Ajjawi_fsu_0071E_12943
Format: Thesis

Title: Exploring the Difference in Undergraduate Student Success Between Rising College Juniors and Transfer Students from the Florida College System.
Creator: Stratton, Theodore, Hu, Shouping, deHaven-Smith, Lance, Schwartz, Robert A., Tandberg, David A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show moreStratton, Theodore, Hu, Shouping, deHaven-Smith, Lance, Schwartz, Robert A., Tandberg, David A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The Florida Articulation Agreement and common course numbering make transferring from a Florida College System (FCS) institution to a Florida State University System (SUS) institution almost seamless. With 28 state colleges across the sunshine state, many students opt to begin their college careers in these institutions that were all once known as community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine if transferring from an FCS institution after the first two years of undergraduate...
Show moreThe Florida Articulation Agreement and common course numbering make transferring from a Florida College System (FCS) institution to a Florida State University System (SUS) institution almost seamless. With 28 state colleges across the sunshine state, many students opt to begin their college careers in these institutions that were all once known as community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine if transferring from an FCS institution after the first two years of undergraduate study and earning an associate's degree negatively affects student success in terms of bachelor's degree attainment, academic performance, and time to bachelor's degree. Students that earned an associate of arts (AA) degree from any of the 28 FCS institutions and then transferred into the University of Florida (UF) were compared with their native rising junior counterparts at UF. This study found that overall rising juniors did outperform the associate of arts degree FCS transfer student peers. Rising juniors did better in overall graduation grade point average (GPA), time to degree, and in bachelor's degree attainment in six years or less. African American associate of arts degree earning transfer students however, did earn higher GPAs than their African American rising junior counterparts. College personnel and student affairs professionals should continue to study the transfer student population as a unique subset of students to better understand the different challenges they face at the university level and how they can be best prepared for academic success.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2015fall_Stratton_fsu_0071E_12837
Format: Thesis

Title: The University as an Employer: A Study of the Application of Title VII to the Modern American Institution of Higher Education.
Creator: Anglade, Marilyn S., Tandberg, David A., Stepina, Lee P., Schwartz, Robert A., Gawlik, Marytza A. (Marytza Anne), Tolson, Franita, Florida State University, College of Education...
Show moreAnglade, Marilyn S., Tandberg, David A., Stepina, Lee P., Schwartz, Robert A., Gawlik, Marytza A. (Marytza Anne), Tolson, Franita, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Title VII is a federal anti-discrimination in employment statute that was passed as a part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The passage of Title VII of the 1964 Act was the result of years of political wrangling to enact federal legislation to eliminate discrimination in employment. Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement fought for the Act's passage in order to improve the economic well-being of African Americans in the United States who were still fighting the effects of overt discrimination....
Show moreTitle VII is a federal anti-discrimination in employment statute that was passed as a part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The passage of Title VII of the 1964 Act was the result of years of political wrangling to enact federal legislation to eliminate discrimination in employment. Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement fought for the Act's passage in order to improve the economic well-being of African Americans in the United States who were still fighting the effects of overt discrimination. Title VII made it unlawful for employers to discriminate against American citizens based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. At the time of the Act's passage, state and local government employees as well as employees of educational institutions were not protected by the Act. It would not be until eight years later that the 1964 Act was amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 that these individuals would come under the purview of the statute. As time went on, Title VII would undergo more changes as the judiciary worked to interpret the law and Congress sought to specifically delineate its intent in passing the statute. Meanwhile, institutions of higher education across the country would begin its own metamorphosis from the isolated ivory tower of old to a new modern multi-billion dollar business that employs thousands of employees. This study seeks to understand the university as an employer; specifically, this study wants to understand how Title VII works at institutions of higher education in light of higher-education-specific concepts such as: tenure and academic deference. Using legal historical methods, the researcher analyzed federal circuit court cases in order to determine whether any special rules, concerns, or considerations arise in the application of Title VII to higher education institutions and whether any changes should be made in how these cases are litigated. In particular, the researcher studied: failure to promote, denial of tenure, termination, and failure to hire employment decisions in light of the employment environment as well as academic-specific concepts such as academic deference as a special concern of academic freedom as well as tenure. Further, the phenomenon of the corporatization of higher education is an additional factor under consideration in this study. Ultimately, this study seeks to understand how Title VII, initially inapplicable to educational institutions, responds to this particular environment.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_2015fall_Anglade_fsu_0071E_12952
Format: Thesis

Title: College Student Spiritual Quest: Influences of Community Service Involvement and Diversity-Related Experiences.
Creator: 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: 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: School Culture: Exploring Its Relationship with Mental Models and Leadership Behaviors in Schools.
Creator: Duncan, Doreen Agatha, Lick, Dale W., Tate, Richard, Funk, Fanchon, Easton, Peter, Hassler, Laura, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among variables reflecting the cultures, mental models or thinking styles, and leadership behaviors for elementary, middle, and senior high schools. This study explored the characteristics of thinking styles and leadership behaviors as they related to school culture. It was important to find out how these constructs, differ depending on school level, gender, position and years of experience. The three constructs were school culture,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among variables reflecting the cultures, mental models or thinking styles, and leadership behaviors for elementary, middle, and senior high schools. This study explored the characteristics of thinking styles and leadership behaviors as they related to school culture. It was important to find out how these constructs, differ depending on school level, gender, position and years of experience. The three constructs were school culture, mental models or thinking styles and leadership behaviors of school administrators. School administrators studied consisted of both female and male principals and assistant principals from K-12 schools in Riverhills County (a pseudonym). This research design was a quantitative correlational study. The Pearson Product –Moment, multiple regression analyses, and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), were used to examine the research questions to determine the relationships between the dependent and independent variables. Instead of the usual alpha level of a = .05 that is recommended for educational research, the decision was made to control for the family-wise error rate and to set a more rigorous level of significance for alpha (a = .01). The survey instruments utilized to measure the constructs of mental models, leadership behaviors and current school culture were: the Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (Bramson-Harrison, 1982), the Leadership Orientations Self-Survey (Bolman & Deal, 1991), and results of the Whole School Effectiveness Survey (Riverhills County School). For the two primary questions: relationships were found between school culture and mental models, but they were not of statistical significance; relationships between school culture and the four frames of leadership behaviors were not of significance. There were four secondary questions to further explain the relationships of the three constructs. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses showed statistically significant relationships between the four frame and dimensions of leadership behaviors and demographic variables. Characteristics of current school culture had statistically significant inverse relationships with gender of school administrators. School level one(elementary schools) had statistically significant relationships with all the characteristics of current school culture (assumptions, behaviors, beliefs, norms and values). Statistically significant differences were found between the idealist and realist mental models for female and male school administrators. Finally, effectiveness as manager and leader were found to be statistically significant with the four frames of leadership behaviors (i.e., structural, human resource, political and symbolic).
Show less
Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0640
Format: Thesis

Title: Making Sense of Teachers' Work Lives: A Qualitative Study of Teachers in Florida.
Creator: Pienta, Rachel Sutz, Milton, Sande, Martin, Patricia Y., Iatarola, Patrice, Flood, Pamela, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The primary purpose of this study was to contribute to the understanding of how committed, engaged teachers construct their work lives. This study focused in particular on how "star" teachers who stay in the classroom sustain engagement in and make meaning of their professional experience. The nine teachers selected to participate in this study were all public school teachers in Florida. Each of the teachers included in the study taught in either the elementary or middle grades. All had been...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study was to contribute to the understanding of how committed, engaged teachers construct their work lives. This study focused in particular on how "star" teachers who stay in the classroom sustain engagement in and make meaning of their professional experience. The nine teachers selected to participate in this study were all public school teachers in Florida. Each of the teachers included in the study taught in either the elementary or middle grades. All had been teaching for five or more years. A qualitative approach was utilized in this study to explore the work lives of the participating teachers and to identify factors that contribute to their professional longevity. This methodology included focused in-depth interviews and personal classroom observations. The interviews were structured using in-depth, phenomenologically based interviewed interviewing (Seidman, 1998) that allowed the researcher and the teacher to engage in a guided conversation. Open and focused coding methods were used to analyze the data (Anfara et al, 2002; Emerson et al, 1995; Guba and Lincoln, 1985). Conceptual categories were developed from emergent themes (Harry et al, 2005). A process of thematic analysis provided a means by which to give structure and a framework for description (Van Manen, 1990). Six findings about star teachers emerged from the study. The star teachers had five behaviors in common and also shared one organizational factor. The teachers all engage in the following actions: (1) seek opportunities to learn and enrich their practice in ways that will improve classroom teaching; (2) employ adaptive strategies to meet systemic challenges; (3) work to develop rich professional collaborative relationships with other teachers; (4) want to recognized and respected for their professional efforts; and (5) view students as important partners in a democratic learning community. The organizational factor common to the star teacher is the need to have a supportive principal. The study highlighted how principals and teachers work together in school cultures that support collaboration and innovation. The study recommendations call for a system-wide "reculturing" that would change "individually and collaboratively held meanings" about schools and learning (Sergiovanni, 2000, p. 147).
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0818
Format: Thesis

Title: Organizational Culture's Impact on the Effectiveness of Research Administration Units: A Multicase Study of Historically Black Doctoral Degree Granting Institutions.
Creator: Bailey, Theresa L., Beckham, Joseph C., Kalu, Peter N., Easton, Peter, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In this study the researcher explored the types of organizational culture at selected doctorate degree granting HBCUs to determine if there were differences in organizational culture that appeared to be related to institutional effectiveness. Specific attention was given to identifying the dominant culture and characteristics of three public doctoral degree granting historically black institutions. The primary focus of the study was the relationship between effectiveness and organizational...
Show moreIn this study the researcher explored the types of organizational culture at selected doctorate degree granting HBCUs to determine if there were differences in organizational culture that appeared to be related to institutional effectiveness. Specific attention was given to identifying the dominant culture and characteristics of three public doctoral degree granting historically black institutions. The primary focus of the study was the relationship between effectiveness and organizational culture in selected higher education institutions. Using a case study methodology, that was exploratory and descriptive in nature, the researcher identified the characterizations and dominant organizational culture for each of the participating institutions. Organizational theory was used as the conceptual framework for distinguishing between types of organizational culture. The study was primarily driven by semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The following questions guided this study: (1) What characterizes the organizational culture of the three HBCUs selected for study? and (2) Are there differences in the organizational culture of the three HBCUs that appear to be related to institutional effectiveness? Several recurring themes emerged among the institutions: (1) lack of communication, (2) increased faculty expectation, and (3) under-developed partnerships. Themes unique to each institution were also identified. These unique themes included: (1) poor customer service, (2) strained relationships between the chief research officer and the research community, (3) lack of research mission, and (4) pride and solidarity of purpose. Implications of this study can be used in assisting university leadership understand and utilize the knowledge pertaining to organizational culture and performance on both the organizational and sub-unit levels. The study findings also inform institutional leaders of the advantages of developing a balanced culture thereby positioning them to make
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0902
Format: Thesis

Title: The Politics of Change in Teacher Education: Responses to Alternative Certification Policy Among Florida Institutions of Higher Education.
Creator: Baird, Mark Edward, Cohen-Vogel, Lora, Foulk, Dave, Herrington, Carolyn, Milton, Sande, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study is to seek a greater understanding of the political dynamics influencing the involvement of Florida institutions of higher education in alternative teacher certification policies and programs. Adapting J. Victor Baldridge's Interest Articulation Model, the analysis focuses on three stages of organization-level policy formation: social context, interest articulation, and legislative transformation. The political analysis centers on deans (authorities) and teacher...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to seek a greater understanding of the political dynamics influencing the involvement of Florida institutions of higher education in alternative teacher certification policies and programs. Adapting J. Victor Baldridge's Interest Articulation Model, the analysis focuses on three stages of organization-level policy formation: social context, interest articulation, and legislative transformation. The political analysis centers on deans (authorities) and teacher education faculty (partisans) as they maneuver within an institutional context that is influenced by a number of external forces such as state policy, market forces, and competing ideas about the future of teacher education and certification. Differences among teacher education institutions and alternative certification programs are considered in the analysis. Data are drawn from 26 semi-structured interviews with administrators and faculty members from the colleges of education at Florida's state universities and a web-based survey of 64 higher education administrators across the state. The study found that state policy has catalyzed and legitimized new alternative pathways and has influenced state universities and community colleges to engage in alternative preparation. Twenty-two (68%) of the 32 survey respondents report that their institutions have been involved in the development or implementation of AC programs, and 12 IHE-operated programs were identified in the survey. Administrators perceive that their faculty are supportive of both the district-based and state AC programs. Survey data suggest that community college administrators are more supportive of AC than their counterparts in the state universities and independent colleges and universities. Deans and faculty at state universities have put up little resistance, realizing that the process will move forward with or without them. Many deans feel obligated to engage so they can be seen as team players in the state. In addition, deans are using their support of a state alternative certification initiative as quid pro quo for more flexibility in the state's regulatory framework for approved teacher education programs. For the most part, however, programs at the state universities are campus-based, center on graduate coursework, and are modified variations of "traditional" programs, which is far from the on-the-job, competency-based programming envisioned by the state.
Show less
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0904
Format: Thesis

Title: From Orientation to Graduation: Diverse Student Experiences of Campus Traditions at Florida State University.
Creator: Dobiyanski, Victoria E., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Rice, Diana Claries, Guthrie, Kathy L., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreDobiyanski, Victoria E., Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Rice, Diana Claries, Guthrie, Kathy L., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Higher education institutions have campus traditions that are honored and repeated by generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni (Manning, 2000). It is important to understand these traditions and the purpose and history behind the traditions, especially as the demographics of student bodies evolve (Cheng, 2004). According to Boyer (1990), “a university at its best encourages people to share rituals and traditions that connect them to the campus community and that improve the civic...
Show moreHigher education institutions have campus traditions that are honored and repeated by generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni (Manning, 2000). It is important to understand these traditions and the purpose and history behind the traditions, especially as the demographics of student bodies evolve (Cheng, 2004). According to Boyer (1990), “a university at its best encourages people to share rituals and traditions that connect them to the campus community and that improve the civic culture and diversity of the institution” (p. 62). This study focused on a diverse student sample at Florida State University and their participation in campus traditions. Campus traditions such as Orientation, Convocation, Welcome Week, and Homecoming activities were studied to understand the students’ experiences. Although there has been previous research about campus traditions (Magolda, 2000; Manning, 1989, 2000; Van Jura, 2010), this study specifically focused on a diverse student sample and how the campus traditions create a culturally engaging campus environment (Museus, 2014).
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_SUMMER2017_Dobiyanski_fsu_0071E_14008
Format: Thesis

Title: Ripples…It Shaped Me to Be a Leader: A Phenomenological Exploration of How Female Undergraduate Student Leadership Is Influenced by Divorce during Childhood.
Creator: Acosta, Danielle Morgan, Guthrie, Kathy L., Turner, Jeannine E, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreAcosta, Danielle Morgan, Guthrie, Kathy L., Turner, Jeannine E, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Expanding leadership learning and engagement to a more diverse student body is a critical component of American higher education, yet not enough attention is placed on how varied lived experiences may influence leadership development and practice. One such understudied lived experience is the phenomenon of parental divorce during childhood. Data suggests that over one-quarter of entering college students may have divorced parents, which literature indicates can have ongoing implications over...
Show moreExpanding leadership learning and engagement to a more diverse student body is a critical component of American higher education, yet not enough attention is placed on how varied lived experiences may influence leadership development and practice. One such understudied lived experience is the phenomenon of parental divorce during childhood. Data suggests that over one-quarter of entering college students may have divorced parents, which literature indicates can have ongoing implications over the course of time (Amato, 2000; Demo & Fine, 2010; Kennedy & Ruggles, 2014). Connecting divorce and leadership literature through the relational leadership model (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 1998; 2013), this phenomenological study explored how the parental divorce experience during childhood influences female undergraduate student leaders, an understudied population that may thrive in relational leadership settings. Nine undergraduate women enrolled in leadership certificate program courses at a research extensive university in the southern United States were interviewed. Participants reflected upon their parents’ divorce and shared ways they believed it shaped their knowledge, behaviors, and actions. Participants reported how their parents’ divorce influenced their leadership readiness, learning, and engagement as they described and engaged in leadership through the lens of their parental divorce experience. Presenting the parental divorce experience as a leadership context, this study contends relational leadership learning and engagement aids in the development of relational skills. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, including more attention to the parental divorce experience with regards to leadership and higher education.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Acosta_fsu_0071E_14642
Format: Thesis

Title: Giving Them a Voice: Middle School Students Living in Poverty Perceptions of Effective Teaching.
Creator: Gordon, Bernadette, Park, Toby J., McDowell, Stephen D., Khurshid, Ayesha, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreGordon, Bernadette, Park, Toby J., McDowell, Stephen D., Khurshid, Ayesha, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This study examines middle school students from low wealth communities and their perceptions of poverty and teacher efficacy. Additionally, this study seeks to provide valuable insight into educators regarding the skills and dispositions economically disadvantaged students identify effective teachers as possessing. It begins by exploring the history of poverty in the United States. It has been more than half a century since President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared a war on poverty. Yet,...
Show moreThis study examines middle school students from low wealth communities and their perceptions of poverty and teacher efficacy. Additionally, this study seeks to provide valuable insight into educators regarding the skills and dispositions economically disadvantaged students identify effective teachers as possessing. It begins by exploring the history of poverty in the United States. It has been more than half a century since President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared a war on poverty. Yet, statistics show that the number of Americans living in poverty is increasing. The study reviews the literature on accountability in the education system, teacher efficacy, and student perception. It uses qualitative methods to collect student perception data through focus group and individual student interviews. By incorporating narrative analysis, stories from the middle-school classroom are unearthed. Keywords: middle school, middle school students, teachers, effective teachers, efficacy, teacher efficacy, poverty, students of poverty, low-income communities, students living in poverty, perception, student perception
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Gordon_fsu_0071E_14747
Format: Thesis

Title: Higher Education/Student Affairs Master's Students' Preparation and Development as Leadership Educators.
Creator: Teig, Trisha, Guthrie, Kathy L., Sinke, Suzanne M., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Abstract/Description: Student affairs practitioners’ work often includes expectations for leadership education and development of college students, aligning with the role of leadership educator. However, there exists no formal preparation process or curriculum for master’s students in higher education/student affairs graduate preparatory programs to access learning about becoming a leadership educator. This exploratory case study examines the experiences of a cohort of master’s students in a higher education...
Show moreStudent affairs practitioners’ work often includes expectations for leadership education and development of college students, aligning with the role of leadership educator. However, there exists no formal preparation process or curriculum for master’s students in higher education/student affairs graduate preparatory programs to access learning about becoming a leadership educator. This exploratory case study examines the experiences of a cohort of master’s students in a higher education/student affairs graduate preparatory program to understand more fully their access to leadership education communities of practice and their development of leadership educator professional identity. Through survey, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, the qualitative inquiry explored the integration of a formal, required course for a cohort in their graduate preparatory program to understand the experiences of learning to be leadership educators.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Teig_fsu_0071E_14646
Format: Thesis

Title: The Forgotten Topic: A Study on the Transition College Experiences of Former Foster Youth.
Creator: Kenton, David Hopeton, Guthrie, Kathy L., Roberts, Winston, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy...
Show moreKenton, David Hopeton, Guthrie, Kathy L., Roberts, Winston, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The educational trajectory of foster care students in the United States is often delayed. However, there are foster care students who have been able to successfully navigate the educational pipeline and complete a college degree (Batsche et al., 2012). The purpose of this study was to explore the transition experiences of foster care students from high school to a four-year university and to identify contributors to their adaption into the college environment. This study challenges previously...
Show moreThe educational trajectory of foster care students in the United States is often delayed. However, there are foster care students who have been able to successfully navigate the educational pipeline and complete a college degree (Batsche et al., 2012). The purpose of this study was to explore the transition experiences of foster care students from high school to a four-year university and to identify contributors to their adaption into the college environment. This study challenges previously held beliefs by focusing on the actual rather than perceived contributors to their success while in college. Data from this study came from demographic questionnaires and 60-90-minute interviews with 11 qualified study participants. The study participants provided multifaceted responses about their transition experiences to the university. Findings and themes which emerged from the study focused on the experiences of transferring from a state college, being homeless, and identifying helpful support resources during their transition process. Study participants discussed the need for utilizing campus resources, developing transition strategies, and the importance of networking and engagement. The study results also provided insight into practices not considered helpful by foster care students. The discussion and implication section provide suggested resources for foster care programs and university administrators who support this population. Future research recommendations focused on self-development and program effectiveness followed by concluding thoughts.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Kenton_fsu_0071E_14552
Format: Thesis

Title: Pre-Service Teachers Feel Ready, Set, Go on Day One?: Comparing Pre-Service Teachers Teaching Efficacy from a Center of Excellence Teacher Preparation Model and a Traditional Model.
Creator: Caster, Kay Arnold, Preston, Courtney, Ke, Fengfeng, Rutledge, Stacy A., Gawlik, Marytza, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership...
Show moreCaster, Kay Arnold, Preston, Courtney, Ke, Fengfeng, Rutledge, Stacy A., Gawlik, Marytza, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This qualitative study examined the unique perspectives of participants, who recently completed their elementary teacher education training, of their sense of effectiveness in leading students to learn, also known as teacher efficacy. This study used a comparative case study approach to compare and contrast the differences in teacher efficacy as impacted by the internship experiences and supervision of cooperating teachers, within two different teacher preparation models. Volunteers were...
Show moreThis qualitative study examined the unique perspectives of participants, who recently completed their elementary teacher education training, of their sense of effectiveness in leading students to learn, also known as teacher efficacy. This study used a comparative case study approach to compare and contrast the differences in teacher efficacy as impacted by the internship experiences and supervision of cooperating teachers, within two different teacher preparation models. Volunteers were selected from a population of 2017 elementary teacher education graduates from Florida Atlantic University and Florida State University who had completed their pre-service internships during the 2016-2017 academic year. Participants responded to open-ended questions during telephone interviews. Data were analyzed to compare participants’ descriptions of their teacher efficacy, how their teacher efficacy may have developed through the progress of their programs and impacted by their internship experiences. This study also examined whether comprehensive training in coaching and mentorship, as provided by one of the two state universities, contributed to the participants’ level of teacher efficacy. The outcomes corroborated current research literature but also revealed unique findings in the formation and development of perceived teaching effectiveness through the preparation program experience. The findings for show that pre-service teachers do not succinctly connect their perceived teacher efficacy to students’ learning and accomplishing instructional goals. Also, that internships need to provide frequent, timely and diverse experiences within an environment of learning and support. The key differences between FAU and FSU were in consistency within placements and in diversity of student populations. Impactful events were noted by participants of both FAU and FSU as opportunities for instructional growth and improvement. Finally, the deepest connection with pre-service teachers in developing their teacher efficacy is the mentor/mentee relationship that encourages and supports instructional practice and improvement. Although FAU has provided multiple professional development trainings for supervising pre-service teachers, other factors such as support, encouragement, flexibility and empathy led to developing a more positive teacher efficacy.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Caster_fsu_0071E_14657
Format: Thesis

Title: Contributions of Student Affairs Professional Organizations to Collegiate Student Leadership Programs in the Late Twentieth Century.
Creator: Watkins, Sally R., Schwartz, Robert A., Jones, Maxine Deloris, Guthrie, Kathy L., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy...
Show moreWatkins, Sally R., Schwartz, Robert A., Jones, Maxine Deloris, Guthrie, Kathy L., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Some 300 years after the founding of the first American institution of higher education, developing students into future leaders remains a central objective of contemporary colleges and universities (Astin, 1993; Johnson, 2000; Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 2007). In the modern university setting, a significant amount of leadership training and development is accomplished outside the classroom in the co-curricular arena; much of this work is now in the province of student affairs professionals...
Show moreSome 300 years after the founding of the first American institution of higher education, developing students into future leaders remains a central objective of contemporary colleges and universities (Astin, 1993; Johnson, 2000; Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 2007). In the modern university setting, a significant amount of leadership training and development is accomplished outside the classroom in the co-curricular arena; much of this work is now in the province of student affairs professionals who teach leadership training and development. Many of these professionals prepared for this aspect of their roles while on the job via campus-based professional education and development and at conferences hosted by professional organizations. Historically, these professional associations have played a key role in establishing leadership education as a priority in student affairs, informing professionals' knowledge and understanding of leadership concepts and theories, and advancing the emerging profession of leadership education. The purpose of this study is to document the role student affairs professional organizations played in the latter half of the 20th century to advance collegiate student leadership education programs. The historical narrative relies on sources from the National Student Affairs Archives located in Bowling Green, Ohio and interviews with key individuals active during the timeframe investigated. Understanding the formalization of student affairs practitioner as leadership educators offers the opportunity to recognize individuals and organizations significant in the process, to identify gaps in the scholarship, inform academic preparation programs, shape the efforts of professional organizations, and mold the programmatic efforts facilitated daily on college campuses. This historical investigation attempts to demonstrate how student affairs professional organizations and key individuals across the profession shaped student leadership training, education, and development in higher education in the late twentieth century.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Watkins_fsu_0071E_14360
Format: Thesis

Title: Color of Discipline: Reducing Discipline Disparities through the Use of School-Wide Discipline Programs.
Creator: Toll, Ashley D., Rutledge, Stacy A., Jones, Ithel, Boyle, Helen N., Akiba, Motoko, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and...
Show moreToll, Ashley D., Rutledge, Stacy A., Jones, Ithel, Boyle, Helen N., Akiba, Motoko, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Disparities in school discipline for Black students has been a problem for decades. The negative effects of exclusionary discipline have been well-documented. This problem must be addressed by educational stakeholders in order to take steps to reduce the issue and provide interventions to reduce the disproportionality. Disproportionality in discipline prevents schools from achieving the ultimate goal of fostering positive outcomes for all students. School-Wide Positive Behavioral...
Show moreDisparities in school discipline for Black students has been a problem for decades. The negative effects of exclusionary discipline have been well-documented. This problem must be addressed by educational stakeholders in order to take steps to reduce the issue and provide interventions to reduce the disproportionality. Disproportionality in discipline prevents schools from achieving the ultimate goal of fostering positive outcomes for all students. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support Programs have created a systems-level approach to reducing overall school discipline issues. Some studies have identified SW-PBIS programs that have been able to reduce disparities in secondary schools and increase graduation rates, however, studies of SW-PBIS and disproportionality have overlooked disparities in elementary schools. The present study contributed to the current research base by investigating elementary disparity rates and how schools are using a SW-PBIS system to lower those rates. It also identifies factors that create strong programs successful in reducing disparity rates as well as factors that hinder the success of schools with disparity problems. This qualitative analysis revealed four themes that are critical to the success of a SW-PBIS system in lowering disparity rates: training, finding the root of the negative behavior, high expectations, and support for teachers. Implications for professional development, data tracking, and measuring disproportionality in schools are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Toll_fsu_0071E_14763
Format: Thesis

Title: Title I Funding in High-Poverty Schools: Is Equal Opportunity Really Equal?.
Creator: Pfister, Terri Margaret, Khurshid, Ayesha, McDowell, Stephen D., Schwartz, Robert A., Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show morePfister, Terri Margaret, Khurshid, Ayesha, McDowell, Stephen D., Schwartz, Robert A., Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this research was to generate an understanding of the impact of Title I funding on high-poverty schools. Although the Title I policy was designed to provide supplemental funding to high poverty schools, research has uncovered that the highest poverty schools are not always the schools that receive the supplemental funds. This study was motivation by two research questions: (1) How do teachers and administrators in two schools in a Central Florida school district describe their...
Show moreThe purpose of this research was to generate an understanding of the impact of Title I funding on high-poverty schools. Although the Title I policy was designed to provide supplemental funding to high poverty schools, research has uncovered that the highest poverty schools are not always the schools that receive the supplemental funds. This study was motivation by two research questions: (1) How do teachers and administrators in two schools in a Central Florida school district describe their experiences of working within high-poverty schools in years with and without Title I funding; and (2) How do the cases of these two schools help us understand the impact of the Title I funding allocation processes on the working of schools in one school district in Central Florida? Through a qualitative research approach these research questions were answered. Interviews were conducted across two school sites to explore the experiences of teachers and administrators within two high-poverty schools in years with and without Title I funding. The findings revealed that the loss of support that Title I funding provided caused a negative impact on the morale of teachers and students.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Pfister_fsu_0071E_14613
Format: Thesis

Title: Data Driven Decision Making Goes Cyber Elementary Online Teachers' Perceptions and Use of Data Driven Instruction.
Creator: Stokke Larson, Melissa, Herrington, Carolyn D., Jones, Ithel, Gawlik, Marytza, Preston, Courtney, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show moreStokke Larson, Melissa, Herrington, Carolyn D., Jones, Ithel, Gawlik, Marytza, Preston, Courtney, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM) is the process of using assessment data to determine instruction in class. Contemporary use of DDDM has grown from the No Child Left Behind’s emphasis on using standardized testing results to measure school effectiveness. Most research on the topic of DDDM focuses on brick and mortar schools, however, virtual instruction programs are becoming more prevalent. For example, the state of Florida requires school districts to offer up to three full time virtual...
Show moreData Driven Decision Making (DDDM) is the process of using assessment data to determine instruction in class. Contemporary use of DDDM has grown from the No Child Left Behind’s emphasis on using standardized testing results to measure school effectiveness. Most research on the topic of DDDM focuses on brick and mortar schools, however, virtual instruction programs are becoming more prevalent. For example, the state of Florida requires school districts to offer up to three full time virtual instruction programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grades. Virtual instruction programs have a unique set of challenges when it comes to implementing DDDM due to the fact that administrators, teachers and students are separated by time and space. The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary online educators perceive the use of data to make instructional decisions and how they were doing so in their synchronous classes. Eight online elementary teachers from three different virtual instruction programs were interviewed to find out more about how DDDM is implemented in virtual instruction programs. Purposeful sampling was used to identify typical cases, and an interview guide with open-ended questions was used to gain further insight into the online teacher’s perspectives on how they specifically, or the school generally, implemented these principles. Interviews were analyzed using directive content analysis in order to identify patterns and themes with the responses of participants. All eight participants of the student said that they thought using assessment data to inform their instruction is a useful practice, however, they did identify some barriers to effectively doing so. While online teachers had many organizational tools for assessment data, they questioned the validity of the data due to a lack of teacher oversight. Additionally, the participants felt confident in their ability to analyze assessment data and make decisions about what should be taught in synchronous classes. A lack of research based instructional strategies made it challenging to implement instructional plans. Finally, the participants identified a lack of professional development on implementing DDDM, but had mixed thoughts on whether they would actually prefer more support from their administrators on the topic. In conclusion, the implications for practice gleaned from this study vary due to the structural differences of the virtual instruction programs. Still, one factor of importance is the ability to collect valid assessment data, since all other aspects of DDDM rely on assessment data being a genuine reflection of the students.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Stokke_fsu_0071E_14592
Format: Thesis

Title: Crossing Borders, Crossing Boundaries: Negotiating Identity in International Service Learning.
Creator: Reid, Kimberly L., Boyle, Helen N., Myers, John P., Khurshid, Ayesha, Rutledge, Stacy A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership...
Show moreReid, Kimberly L., Boyle, Helen N., Myers, John P., Khurshid, Ayesha, Rutledge, Stacy A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Every year, more students in the United States participate in international service learning (ISL) programs through their universities (IIE, 2016; Boone, Kline, Johnson, Milburn, & Rieder, 2013). Over the past two decades, the participation rates of international education programs have more than tripled (IIE, 2016). The students participating in these programs, however, are not representative of the student bodies at these universities (IIE, 2016). While ISL programs have been touted as a...
Show moreEvery year, more students in the United States participate in international service learning (ISL) programs through their universities (IIE, 2016; Boone, Kline, Johnson, Milburn, & Rieder, 2013). Over the past two decades, the participation rates of international education programs have more than tripled (IIE, 2016). The students participating in these programs, however, are not representative of the student bodies at these universities (IIE, 2016). While ISL programs have been touted as a powerful, transformative experience for students, not much is known about how students’ sociocultural identities are influenced (Bringle, Hatcher, & Jones, 2012; Crabtree, 2008). This study examined how the process of literally crossing boundaries between countries, as part of an ISL program, related to the figurative crossing of sociocultural identity boundaries for a cohort of students traveling to Ghana. Through the use of qualitative research methods, the purpose of this study was to shed light on how students negotiate the sociocultural identities, so ISL programs can support students, from all identity backgrounds, in their identity development. It examined how students negotiated their sociocultural identities throughout an ISL program and compared the identity negotiation experiences of traditionally represented and underrepresented students. Participants included a cohort of eleven students, five who were traditionally represented within ISL and six who were traditionally underrepresented within ISL, along with members of their host families and the directors of the organizations where they served. Interviews, observations, focus groups, and documents such as student blogs and reflective essays were all used as sources of data. Through utilizing the concept of boundary crossing and the theory of intersectionality, this study found that students tended to negotiate their identities 1) through confronting the notion that they could be wholly defined by one identity, 2) by grappling with the narrow boundaries of various identity categories, and 3) through romanticizing their new context’s culture. The study also found that traditionally represented and underrepresented students differed on how they tended to negotiate their identities with the former focusing inwardly for their identity negotiations and the later focusing outwardly. Implications for policy and practice and directions for future research are discussed in light of these findings.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Reid_fsu_0071E_14388
Format: Thesis

Title: Examining the Role of Cultural Responsiveness in Leadership Education among Diverse College Students.
Creator: Chunoo, Vivechkanand Sewcharran, Guthrie, Kathy L., Padavic, Irene, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and...
Show moreChunoo, Vivechkanand Sewcharran, Guthrie, Kathy L., Padavic, Irene, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Since the early 2000s, the number of leadership education programs in the United States has more than doubled (Riggio, Ciulla, & Sorenson, 2003; International Leadership Association, 2015). Despite this proliferation, very little attention has been paid to the role of cultural responsiveness in leadership education. Cultural responsiveness is vital to future success of leadership studies programs because they, just like all higher education, act as cultural capital-building mechanisms. If...
Show moreSince the early 2000s, the number of leadership education programs in the United States has more than doubled (Riggio, Ciulla, & Sorenson, 2003; International Leadership Association, 2015). Despite this proliferation, very little attention has been paid to the role of cultural responsiveness in leadership education. Cultural responsiveness is vital to future success of leadership studies programs because they, just like all higher education, act as cultural capital-building mechanisms. If greater attention is not paid to the experiences of students from diverse backgrounds, leadership studies programs will continue to perpetuate the existing social order, ultimately undermining the goal of creating leaders capable of positive sustainable change. The present study focused on the nexus between cultural responsiveness, leadership education, and cultural capital. It sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What do leadership educators identify as cultural responsiveness in their instruction?; (2) What classroom experiences do leadership students identify as honoring their multiple, intersecting social identities?; (3) Where do reports of cultural responsiveness among leadership studies instructors and students converge, and where do they diverge? Answering the first research question required semi-structured interviews with leadership instructors to uncover their efforts toward cultural responsiveness. This information was used to create a survey to gauge student experiences along the aspects described in the interviews. The second research question was addressed through descriptive quantitative analysis of survey data. The final question was answered through inferential quantitative analysis of survey information. Findings and results uncovered substantial evidence of cultural responsiveness within the leadership studies program under investigation. Instructors’ social identities, personal histories, professional preparation, and academic training impacted their cultural responsiveness abilities. Similarly, nuanced leadership education philosophies, unique motivations, and varied paths to leadership education impacted how instructors approached students’ cultural and academic development. Course syllabi, textbooks, assignments, and speakers were just some of the ways instructors infused cultural responsiveness into their distinctive styles of leadership education. Moreover, a broad spectrum of pedagogical choices characterized instructors’ capacity for cultural responsiveness. Augmented by the theory-to-practice-to-theory framework of the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies, instructors were empowered to teach and change courses toward cultural responsiveness. The survey resulting from instructors’ reports demonstrated reliability and validity for use in the present study and captured students’ perceptions of cultural responsiveness. Results of quantitative analyses indicated students perceived their instructors as culturally responsive across numerous facets of education. Perceptions varied by student identities and among the courses in which they were enrolled. Future research should focus on intersections of social identities, the unique experiences of transfer students, and supporting courses not included here. Practice implications include careful consideration of cultural responsiveness among students from diverse religious backgrounds, transfer students and nontraditionally aged students. Curricular implications should include focusing on the culturally responsive leadership learning environments created in Leadership in Group and Communities, Latinx Leadership, and Peer Leadership.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Chunoo_fsu_0071E_14315
Format: Thesis

Title: An Exploration of the Underrepresented Minority Medical Student Experience.
Creator: Gadson, Leekemase, Park, Toby J., Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Iatarola, Patrice, Schrader, Linda B., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education,...
Show moreGadson, Leekemase, Park, Toby J., Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Iatarola, Patrice, Schrader, Linda B., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The medical school learning environment can be an emotionally and academically demanding environment that impacts the student experience. These experiences may cause distress that can lead to overall mental health concerns. Research suggests that underrepresented minority medical students are more vulnerable than their non-minority counterparts when experiencing the medical school learning environment and are more likely to be at risk of delayed graduation or withdrawal. Students that have...
Show moreThe medical school learning environment can be an emotionally and academically demanding environment that impacts the student experience. These experiences may cause distress that can lead to overall mental health concerns. Research suggests that underrepresented minority medical students are more vulnerable than their non-minority counterparts when experiencing the medical school learning environment and are more likely to be at risk of delayed graduation or withdrawal. Students that have adverse experiences related to race are more likely to have high emotional exhaustion and screen positive for depression, which can be troublesome for medical schools that are hoping to increase their enrollment and graduation rate of underrepresented minority students. The purpose of this study was to understand how the medical school learning environment impacts the experience of underrepresented minority medical students, particularly their mental health and their knowledge and use of support services. A case study method was used to gather information from 10 underrepresented minority students along with a descriptive analysis of the Association of American Medical Colleges Year-Two Questionnaire. The findings of this study indicate that underrepresented minority students do experience medical school differently and have a less positive perception of the learning environment than their non-minority peers. Factors such as prior experiences, knowledge gaps, cultural experiences, access to resources and support systems along with differences in lived experiences create disparities in experiences for underrepresented minority medical students. These factors often lead to social isolation and stereotype threats that impact students’ mental health and help-seeking behaviors which impacts there academic success. This study seeks to encourage medical school administrators and educators to adjust current practices and gain new knowledge and practices to develop a learning environment with educational programs and support systems that promote a culture of openness, cultural awareness, and a culturally competent administration that retains and graduates confident and competent underrepresented minority students.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Gadson_fsu_0071E_14443
Format: Thesis

Title: An Examination of Technical and Pedagogical Usability within the SuccessMaker Math Program.
Creator: Krause, Robin Fraleigh Montgomery, Preston, Courtney, Ke, Fengfeng, Rutledge, Stacy A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreKrause, Robin Fraleigh Montgomery, Preston, Courtney, Ke, Fengfeng, Rutledge, Stacy A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Mathematics involves abstract concepts and students often find it difficult to understand this complex subject (Ramani & Patadia, 2012). In order to succeed and wrestle with the difficulties in math, students should use different approaches to learning mathematics such as computer-assisted instruction (CAI) (Ramani & Patadia, 2012). Schools have invested in CAI programs to supplement instruction and these programs are also used as means to generate data to inform “the degree to which students...
Show moreMathematics involves abstract concepts and students often find it difficult to understand this complex subject (Ramani & Patadia, 2012). In order to succeed and wrestle with the difficulties in math, students should use different approaches to learning mathematics such as computer-assisted instruction (CAI) (Ramani & Patadia, 2012). Schools have invested in CAI programs to supplement instruction and these programs are also used as means to generate data to inform “the degree to which students meet learning goals” (Halverson & Shapiro, 2012. p. 1). Computer programs that prove difficult to use, cannot be customized to the learner or have poor user-interface, do not provide users with the experiences they want (Halverson & Shapiro, 2012). The degree to which learners experience programs as easy to use has been defined as technical usability and, the degree to which learners experience programs as easy to learn has been defined as pedagogical usability (Nokelainen, 2006). The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine students’ subjective technical and pedagogical usability experiences with the SuccessMaker (SME) CAI program because the presence of good usability features can reinforce skills and support learning. SME is an adaptive intervention tutorial program designed to supplement math and adjust instruction to meet students’ needs (Pearson Digital Learning, (n.d.). Additionally, SME states that students experience less frustration with the math lessons because the learning paths guide students to performance goals (Pearson Digital Learning, n.d.). A wealth of studies have measured student outcomes after using computer math programs. However, these studies were inconclusive and failed to take a holistic view of the processes and inputs involved in using computer programs. Moreover, within computer programs, digital skills and learning features are not always explicitly taught or measured in elementary schools; however, students are being required to use computers as supplements to math instruction. A paucity of studies have measured usability constructs, which can support successful experiences using computer programs. Further investigation warrants a usability study in order to maximize, and support time spent learning, because computer programs should be easy to use and easy to learn. This case study employs a mixed methods, non-experimental research design to examine students’ usability experiences with the SME CAI math program. The Pedagogically Meaningful Learning Questionnaire (PMLQ) (Nokelainen, 2005) was administered to fifth grade students to answer the first research question and examine the degree to which technical usability scales are present within SME. Three focus groups were also conducted to answer the second research question, and examine students’ subjective experiences with both technical and pedagogical usability constructs. Overall, the results of this investigation indicated that relevant information can be learned from students’ experiences with CAI programs. Findings from the PMLQ, on average, revealed neither good nor poor usability within the following scales: accessibility, learnability and memorability, user control, graphical layout, reliability and memory load. Findings from the PMLQ revealed poor usability within the help, consistency, errors, and efficiency scales. Findings from the focus groups revealed good usability within the applicability, graphical layout, reliability constructs, and poor usability within learner control, learner activity, goal orientation, added value, motivation, valuation of previous knowledge, flexibility and feedback constructs as a result of subjective student experiences. The identification of good usability features has implications for supporting the ease of use and learning within the SME math CAI program. Conversely, the identification of poor usability features has implications for inhibiting the ease of learning within the SME math CAI program.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Krause_fsu_0071E_14586
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effects of Race to the Top on Students' Science Achievement.
Creator: Petrova, Kitchka, Park, Toby J., Rice, Diana Claries, Gawlik, Marytza, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Semykina, Anastasia, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show morePetrova, Kitchka, Park, Toby J., Rice, Diana Claries, Gawlik, Marytza, Perez-Felkner, Lara, Semykina, Anastasia, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The Race to the Top (RTTT) federal grant program was an initiative that targeted improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. However, the evaluation of the program reported only student outcomes for mathematics and reading/language arts. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of RTTT program on student achievement in science by comparing the performance of students in states with RTTT grant (treatment group) with the performance of students in...
Show moreThe Race to the Top (RTTT) federal grant program was an initiative that targeted improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. However, the evaluation of the program reported only student outcomes for mathematics and reading/language arts. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of RTTT program on student achievement in science by comparing the performance of students in states with RTTT grant (treatment group) with the performance of students in states that did not receive RTTT (comparison group) grants. Using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and difference in differences analytic approach the effects of RTTT on science achievement of 4th and 8th grade public school students and subgroups of students, traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines were estimated. The results show that RTTT had positive significant effect on science achievement of 4th graders overall and of the studied subgroups. A positive significant effect of RTTT was observed only for 8th graders’ earth science achievement and 8th graders with low socioeconomic background. English language learners in both grades were not affected by the implementation of RTTT. The dissertation includes recommendations for policy makers to further expand the application of competitive education programs to innovate and improve public education. Suggestions for future research related to Race to the Top- District programs and effects of RTTT on science standards and curriculum are proposed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Petrova_fsu_0071E_14391
Format: Thesis

Title: Limited-Resource Institutions as Casualties of the NCAA's Academic Reform: A Predictive Analysis of Historically Black Colleges and Universities' Male Student Athletes.
Creator: Ositelu, Monique O. (Monique Oluyemisi Oluseyi), Schwartz, Robert A., Taylor, John, Rutledge, Stacy A., Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show moreOsitelu, Monique O. (Monique Oluyemisi Oluseyi), Schwartz, Robert A., Taylor, John, Rutledge, Stacy A., Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Since the implementation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Academic Progress Rate (APR), Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ (HBCU) male student athletes have disproportionately received more APR academic penalties than other groups of athletes (NCAA, 2016b). Each Division I team receives an APR score based on athletes’ eligibility and retention as a means to monitor graduation (Paskus, 2015). Calculating each team’s score, the NCAA uses a cut score to guide the...
Show moreSince the implementation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Academic Progress Rate (APR), Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ (HBCU) male student athletes have disproportionately received more APR academic penalties than other groups of athletes (NCAA, 2016b). Each Division I team receives an APR score based on athletes’ eligibility and retention as a means to monitor graduation (Paskus, 2015). Calculating each team’s score, the NCAA uses a cut score to guide the distribution of penalties (Blackman, 2008; New, 2015). Penalties are sanctioned to teams that fail to meet the designated cut score. However, Black colleges have historically lagged behind predominantly White institutions in regards to equal resources (Ashe, 1988b). Consequently, the distribution of APR penalties is disproportionately greater at institutions with limited resources, e.g. HBCUs (NCAA, 2015b; NCAA, 2017e). Imposing uniform academic standards across member institutions disadvantages HBCUs and their athletes and conflicts with the intent of the APR metric — which was to increase graduation rates for all athletes (Harrison, 2012; Paskus, 2012). The exploratory analysis in this study found that the NCAA was not fully enforcing the APR penalty system. During the first five years of APR implementation, fewer HBCU male teams were below the 900 threshold compared to non-HBCU male teams. However, HBCU male teams disproportionately received more severe APR penalties compared to non-HBCU male teams with comparable multi-year APR scores. This study sought to investigate the action-policy-conflict to determine: whether the NCAA’s enforcement of APR penalties had an empirical relationship with graduation rates for penalized Division I male teams; whether a differential relationship exists between graduation rates and penalties assigned to HBCU male teams; and what would the impact of APR penalties on graduation rates be if the NCAA had fully enforced the APR penalty system for all teams below the benchmark (intent-to-treat)? To answer the research questions, the NCAA’s publicly accessible APR and Graduation Success Rate (GSR) databases, and the National Center for Education Statistic’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) were used as data sources. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict the relationship between APR penalties and six-year team graduation rates for the academic years of 2005-2006 and 2009-2010. Results of the study found that in the first year (2005-2006) and towards the latter year (2009-2010) of the original APR penalty system, historical penalties were not statistically significant predictors on six-year team graduation rates. Although HBCU male teams disproportionately received more historical penalties than non-HBCU male teams with similar multi-year APR scores, the penalties had no differential impact on the six-year team graduation rates for HBCU male teams. Had the NCAA fully enforced historical penalties to all teams below the 900 cut score, receiving the penalty would not have been a statistically significant predictor on Division I male team graduation rates for the two years of interest in the study. The results from the study are thought to be the first empirical study to examine the NCAA’s APR penalty system (Harrison, 2012; Paskus, 2012). This study provides empirically supported recommendations for the NCAA to consider if the APR penalty system is continued.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Ositelu_fsu_0071E_14604
Format: Thesis

Title: Graduation Caps for All: A Case for Cross-Curricular Reading Instruction in High Schools.
Creator: Stanford, Laura, Iatarola, Patrice, Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Schwartz, Robert A., Schrader, Linda B., Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department...
Show moreStanford, Laura, Iatarola, Patrice, Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Schwartz, Robert A., Schrader, Linda B., Park, Toby J., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: This study investigates one school’s approach to increasing high school graduation rates through the use of a school-wide support model. The leadership team at the study site sought to identify and address the primary barriers to graduation at that school. An assistant principal at the study site conducted an independent analysis of student-level data and determined that the primary barrier to graduation was students’ inability to pass the state reading assessment. One subgroup in particular...
Show moreThis study investigates one school’s approach to increasing high school graduation rates through the use of a school-wide support model. The leadership team at the study site sought to identify and address the primary barriers to graduation at that school. An assistant principal at the study site conducted an independent analysis of student-level data and determined that the primary barrier to graduation was students’ inability to pass the state reading assessment. One subgroup in particular who seemed to struggle with the reading requirement were those identified by the Florida Department of Education as being At Risk (AR). AR students are defined by the FLDOE as being individuals who failed both the reading and math assessments in Grade 8 and they carry that designation throughout high school, regardless of performance on subsequent test administrations. In order to improve graduation rates, the leadership team at the study site conceptualized and implemented a Cross-Curricular Reading Program (CCRP) to provide necessary reading interventions in all core classes to assist all students in reaching their academic goals. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to perform a program evaluation on the CCRP at the study site using the regression model difference-in-differences to answer two primary research questions: (1) did the CCRP increase the overall 4-year graduation rate for All Students at the study site and (2) did the CCRP increase the graduation rates of At-Risk and/or Not At-Risk students at the study site? The findings of this study indicate that after controlling for school, teacher, and study characteristics, graduation rates increased for Black At-Risk students. Other findings from the model show increases, but lack statistical significance.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Stanford_fsu_0071E_14498
Format: Thesis

Title: Student Diversity in Higher Education: Are Alumni Part of the Equation?.
Creator: Guilbeau, Jason Paul, Hu, Shouping, Berry, Frances Stokes, Park, Toby J., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreGuilbeau, Jason Paul, Hu, Shouping, Berry, Frances Stokes, Park, Toby J., Perez-Felkner, Lara, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Although postsecondary institutions have been charged with serving the public good by expanding opportunity for racial minority and low-income students, over the past few decades, state funding has shrunk while the price students pay for a credential has continuously increased. For those students who do cross the stage at commencement, they are donating record-breaking amounts of money to their alma maters annually. However, the impact of private financial support for a public entity serving...
Show moreAlthough postsecondary institutions have been charged with serving the public good by expanding opportunity for racial minority and low-income students, over the past few decades, state funding has shrunk while the price students pay for a credential has continuously increased. For those students who do cross the stage at commencement, they are donating record-breaking amounts of money to their alma maters annually. However, the impact of private financial support for a public entity serving a public good remains an unexplored domain. Through a blended sociological and economic conceptual framework based on work from Perna (2006) this study employed ordinary least squared and fixed effects regression models for a sample of 87 public and 198 private four-year institutions. Using a modified variability measure based on work by Chang (1996, 1999), results indicated a negative relationship between institutional diversity and the Whiteness of an institution’s alumni as well as the percent of alumni who made a financial contribution to their alma mater. However, the adjusted dollar amount of gifts from alumni (controlled by enrollment) showed a positive relationship with the institution’s diversity. As an exploratory study, this research provides a foundation through a conceptual framework, diversity measures, and results for further testing the relationship between private giving to a public good oft thought to be the responsibility of funding by tax payers. While the institutions in the sample were shown to expand access and opportunity, gaps remain between the diversity of the freshmen class and the graduating class as well as between institutions who benefit the most from their alumni support and those who face limited financial resources all around.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Guilbeau_fsu_0071E_14640
Format: Thesis

Title: The Transferability of the American Community College Model into Indonesian Context for the Development of Its Akademi Komunitas.
Creator: Hidayat, Marzul, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Darabi, Aubteen, Schwartz, Robert A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational...
Show moreHidayat, Marzul, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Darabi, Aubteen, Schwartz, Robert A., Boyle, Helen N., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: Akademi Komunitas is a policy borrowing or policy transfer in Indonesian higher education system from the U.S. community college system. This policy officially started in 2012 under the Indonesian Law No.12/2012 on Higher Education with the objectives to expand access to higher education and to provide vocational education that will equip the students with skills and knowledge required by the global market demand. As a new higher education institution, what Akademi Komunitas is about and how...
Show moreAkademi Komunitas is a policy borrowing or policy transfer in Indonesian higher education system from the U.S. community college system. This policy officially started in 2012 under the Indonesian Law No.12/2012 on Higher Education with the objectives to expand access to higher education and to provide vocational education that will equip the students with skills and knowledge required by the global market demand. As a new higher education institution, what Akademi Komunitas is about and how it should be managed was not fully understood by the administrators. Fortunately, the U.S Department of State offered a Community College Administrators Program (CCAP) in 2014 and in 2015 to the Akademi Komunitas administrators to observe and learn about the American community college in the United States for the development of Akademi Komunitas in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was then to examine the perceptions of key Indonesian Akademi Komunitas administrators regarding the transferability or applicability of the features in the American community college model to the Indonesian context and to understand the likely challenges to transferring or applying those features of the US model for the development of the Akademi Komunitas. The subjects of this study were the Akademi Komunitas administrators joining the Community College Administrator Program (CCAP) in 2014 and 2015. The data were primarily collected through semi-structured interviews which were done in the U.S. at the end of the CCAP in 2015 and in Indonesia during the site-visit to Akademi Komunitas in 2016. Focus group discussion was also utilized for additional information on certain topics where the participants might have had different opinions or perceptions. The findings suggest that based on the perceptions of the Akademi Komunitas administrators, features like open access, articulation agreements, curriculum development, student support services, online learning, and partnerships were the transferable features of the American community college model, while dual enrollment and boards of trustees were the non-transferable features. However, the transferable features of the American community colleges as perceived by the administrators should be interpreted as the desirable features as they were not yet transferred or implemented by the administrators in their own Akademi Komunitas. It was because Akademi Komunitas did not start as an autonomous or independent institution and therefore had no authority to make a change to a policy or program. In addition, the centralization system in higher education institution suggested a top-down process or a bureaucracy which does not allow the people at Akademi Komunitas to do things without consent from the people at the Directorate of Higher Education. The transfer or the implementation of those features was not up to the administrators of Akademi Komunitas but they had to wait for instructions from the top management for what can or cannot be done. The administrators’ perception of constraints in the implementation of the transferable features in their own Akademi Komunitas were things such as the unautonomous status of Akademi Komunitas at early stage, the limited infrastructure of Akademi Komunitas, the very limited number of permanent teaching staff in Akademi Komunitas, the unequal resources of districts where Akademi Komunitas was established, and the centralization of higher education system. The results of this study confirmed the literature on policy borrowing or policy transfer on the importance of context for policy adoption and adaptation (Phillips and Ochs, 2004; Steiner- Khamsi, 2014). The “yes . . . but . . .” phenomenon as found in the participants’ responses (Akademi Komunitas administrators) to the questions about the transferable features of the U.S. community colleges to Akademi Komunitas suggested that those transferable features in the administrators’ perception were actually desirable features which were not yet transferred or implemented in their own Akademi Komunitas because of the constraints in the political and economic contexts.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Hidayat_fsu_0071E_14492
Format: Thesis

Title: What Fire Chiefs Think and Organizational Directors Know: A Study of the Potential Benefits of Higher Education for the Fire Service.
Creator: Dilks, John D. (John Daniel), Clemons, Kristal Moore, Khurshid, Ayesha, McDowell, Stephen D., Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University,...
Show moreDilks, John D. (John Daniel), Clemons, Kristal Moore, Khurshid, Ayesha, McDowell, Stephen D., Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: The fire chiefs of today realize the importance of higher education. This is evident in the seminal works of the 1966 Wing Spread I conference and the United States Fire Administration’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education Project (FESHE). Organizational directors charged with the responsibilities of recruiting and employing a fire chief must understand the educational qualifications needed to find the best candidate using available resources. This mixed methods study explored...
Show moreThe fire chiefs of today realize the importance of higher education. This is evident in the seminal works of the 1966 Wing Spread I conference and the United States Fire Administration’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education Project (FESHE). Organizational directors charged with the responsibilities of recruiting and employing a fire chief must understand the educational qualifications needed to find the best candidate using available resources. This mixed methods study explored organizational directors’ and fire chiefs’ perceptions on the evolving educational, professional credentialing, and experience requirements for the fire chief position. The study provides a foundation for aspiring fire chiefs to base future educational attainment goals. This study also highlights organizational directors’ perspectives on what current fire chiefs should attain regarding educational requirements for the position. The mixed methods approach demonstrated that the quantitative study results were more than adequate to provide a snap shot of Florida’s Fire Service in regards to their perception of necessity for higher education in the development of future officers. The qualitative results provided additional valuable information regarding the five themes deemed necessary to further enhance the qualitative experience. These themes included Perseverance, Experience, Position Relevant Roles and Responsibilities, Mentorship and Information Management. The rich personal experiences provided by the interviewees expounded in way that provided a real world perspective of the rewards and challenges of attaining higher education.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_DilksJr_fsu_0071E_14379
Format: Thesis

Title: Wicor after High School: Avid Graduates' Perceptions of and Experiences with the Curriculum.
Creator: Fitch, Jack Camp, Schrader, Linda B., Schwartz, Robert A., Turner, Jeannine E, Park, Toby J., Iatarola, Patrice, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of...
Show moreFitch, Jack Camp, Schrader, Linda B., Schwartz, Robert A., Turner, Jeannine E, Park, Toby J., Iatarola, Patrice, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Show less
Abstract/Description: College access programs like Upward Bound, GEAR UP, and AVID have long histories in education. Each of these have been thoroughly researched. This research shows mixed results on their effectiveness to improve the college-going nature of their respective participants. Most of the research on these programs is focused on academic outcomes rather than the curriculum taught in them and how that curriculum serves students once they graduate. There were three goals of this comparative, sequential,...
Show moreCollege access programs like Upward Bound, GEAR UP, and AVID have long histories in education. Each of these have been thoroughly researched. This research shows mixed results on their effectiveness to improve the college-going nature of their respective participants. Most of the research on these programs is focused on academic outcomes rather than the curriculum taught in them and how that curriculum serves students once they graduate. There were three goals of this comparative, sequential, mixed methods study. The first goal was to determine the usefulness of the WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) components of the AVID Curriculum to graduates of the program from the research district. The second goal was to discern differences in responses between AVID graduates who matriculated into post-secondary institutions and AVID graduates who did not matriculate into post-secondary institutions. The final goal was to find any suggestions for improvement the AVID graduates may have regarding the program. The findings of the study show that AVID graduates from the research district use the WICOR components to varying degrees. The findings also show that there is no discernable difference between the responses of AVID graduates who matriculated and those who did not. Finally, the findings indicate that AVID graduates would like to see the curriculum be differentiated in the later years of the program. Themes emerged from the research including the importance of the role of the AVID Coordinator and the community that is created within the AVID classroom. Implications for practice include ensuring program requirements are met, revisiting the WICOR components, and the need to cultivate community in the AVID classroom.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_FitchIII_fsu_0071E_14444
Format: Thesis

Education (122)	+ -
Education and state (97)	+ -
Educational leadership (82)	+ -
Education, Higher (56)	+ -
Educational evaluation (25)	+ -

School management and organization (16)	+ -
Administration (12)	+ -
Public policy (9)	+ -
Philosophy (7)	+ -
Public administration (7)	+ -
Educational psychology (6)	+ -
Study and teaching (6)	+ -
Teachers (5)	+ -
Training of (5)	+ -
Multicultural education (4)	+ -
Research (4)	+ -
Community colleges (3)	+ -
Early childhood education (3)	+ -
Education, Bilingual (3)	+ -
Educational sociology (3)	+ -
Multilingual education (3)	+ -
Women's studies (3)	+ -
Education (Secondary) (2)	+ -
Education, elementary (2)	+ -
History (2)	+ -
International relations (2)	+ -
Mathematics (2)	+ -
Reading (2)	+ -
African Americans (1)	+ -
Communication (1)	+ -

text (298)	+ -
doctoral thesis (83)	+ -

Florida State University (298)	+ -
Schwartz, Robert A. (138)	+ -
College of Education (127)	+ -
Iatarola, Patrice (61)	+ -
Hu, Shouping (44)	+ -

Jones, Tamara Bertrand (33)	+ -
Park, Toby J. (31)	+ -
Guthrie, Kathy L. (26)	+ -
Beckham, Joseph (25)	+ -
Herrington, Carolyn D. (23)	+ -
Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala (22)	+ -
Perez-Felkner, Lara (21)	+ -
Milton, Sande (19)	+ -
Rutledge, Stacey (19)	+ -
Easton, Peter (17)	+ -
Irvin, Judith (17)	+ -
Rutledge, Stacey A. (17)	+ -
Easton, Peter B. (15)	+ -
Rice, Diana (15)	+ -
Akiba, Motoko (14)	+ -
Schrader, Linda B. (14)	+ -
Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons (14)	+ -
Khurshid, Ayesha (12)	+ -
Rutledge, Stacy A. (12)	+ -
Boyle, Helen N. (11)	+ -
Preston, Courtney (11)	+ -
Rice, Diana Claries (11)	+ -
Tandberg, David A. (11)	+ -
Bower, Beverly (10)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Collection

Topical Subject

Geographic Subject

Genre

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner