Search results

Title: The 'making Of Men'.
Creator: Schwartz, Robert A.
Date Issued: 2016-11
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000384672900011, 10.1080/0046760X.2016.1142007
Format: Citation

Title: Self-Authorship in Student Affairs: A Developmental Paradox.
Creator: Shetty, Rebecca, Chunoo, Vivechkanand S., Cox, Bradley E.
Abstract/Description: The emerging millennial generation of young professionals in student affairs, often accused of being shielded from many of life's developmentally stimulating challenges, may not be sufficiently self-authored to effectively facilitate epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development among their students. Contrary to expectations, however, results from this study suggest current graduate assistants and recent job-changers have higher levels of self-authorship than their colleagues....
Show moreThe emerging millennial generation of young professionals in student affairs, often accused of being shielded from many of life's developmentally stimulating challenges, may not be sufficiently self-authored to effectively facilitate epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development among their students. Contrary to expectations, however, results from this study suggest current graduate assistants and recent job-changers have higher levels of self-authorship than their colleagues. Implications for graduate preparation, professional practice, and future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000382546300003, 10.1080/19496591.2016.1121147
Format: Citation

Title: Taking Followership Education to the Next Level.
Creator: Murji, Shermin
Abstract/Description: If leadership is a relationship between a leader and follower (Rost, 1991), why are we, as higher education faculty and practitioners, so focused on only one half of the equation: the leader? When we examine the countless research articles, books, and conferences, it is clear that more attention has been paid to leaders than followers. Followership, however, in recent decades, is beginning to get its share of attention (Raffo, 2013). As educators in colleges and universities, we are tasked...
Show moreIf leadership is a relationship between a leader and follower (Rost, 1991), why are we, as higher education faculty and practitioners, so focused on only one half of the equation: the leader? When we examine the countless research articles, books, and conferences, it is clear that more attention has been paid to leaders than followers. Followership, however, in recent decades, is beginning to get its share of attention (Raffo, 2013). As educators in colleges and universities, we are tasked with sculpting and feeding the minds of students that will soon lead our society and make change. While higher education institutions across the United States and Canada offer leadership programs, certificates, and education, there seems to be a disconnect: if leadership is a relationship between the leader and follower, why is there no, or very little, education on followership (Smith, 2009)? In my opinion, there needs to be a shift in the way institutions support leadership education to ensure we are developing and graduating individuals that will shape our future in positive ways.
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Date Issued: 2015-06-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479250785
Format: Citation

Title: Gendered Pathways: How Mathematics Ability Beliefs Shape Secondary And Postsecondary Course And Degree Field Choices.
Creator: Perez-Felkneri, Lara, Nix, Samantha, Thomas, Kirby
Abstract/Description: Do mathematics ability beliefs explain gender gaps in the physical science, engineering, mathematics, and computer science fields (PEMC) and other science fields? We leverage U.S. nationally representative longitudinal data to estimate gendered differences in girls' and boys' perceptions of mathematics ability with the most difficult or challenging material. Our analyses examine the potentially interacting effects of gender and these ability beliefs on students pathways to scientific careers....
Show moreDo mathematics ability beliefs explain gender gaps in the physical science, engineering, mathematics, and computer science fields (PEMC) and other science fields? We leverage U.S. nationally representative longitudinal data to estimate gendered differences in girls' and boys' perceptions of mathematics ability with the most difficult or challenging material. Our analyses examine the potentially interacting effects of gender and these ability beliefs on students pathways to scientific careers. Specifically, we study how beliefs about ability with challenging mathematics influence girls' and boys' choices to pursue PEMC degrees, evaluating educational milestones over a 6-year period: advanced science course completion in secondary school and postsecondary major retention and selection. Our findings indicate even at the same levels of observed ability, girls' mathematics ability beliefs under challenge are markedly lower than those of boys. These beliefs matter over time, potentially tripling girls' chances of majoring in PEMC sciences, over and above biological science fields, all else being equal. Implications and potential interventions are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2017-04-06
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000398538900001, 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00386
Format: Citation

Title: Lesson study in Florida: A longitudinal survey of district policy and practice from 2013 to 2015.
Creator: Akiba, Motoko
Date Issued: 2016-01-15
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1455050461
Format: Citation

Title: Professional learning activities in context: A statewide survey of middle school mathematics teachers.
Creator: Akiba, Motoko
Date Issued: 2012-05-20
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1455051075, 10.14507/epaa.v20n14.2012
Format: Citation

Title: Are You Leaving?: A Case of Succession in the Willow Tree Charter School.
Creator: Gawlik, Marytza A. (Marytza Anne)
Abstract/Description: This case study asks readers to contemplate what leadership practices may facilitate leadership succession at charter schools. The case narrative is followed by an activity designed for students in principal preparation programs. In this activity, students develop an exit strategy for the departing leader, a hiring plan for the charter school leadership, and an entry plan for the charter school's successor, each of which outlines the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate change and...
Show moreThis case study asks readers to contemplate what leadership practices may facilitate leadership succession at charter schools. The case narrative is followed by an activity designed for students in principal preparation programs. In this activity, students develop an exit strategy for the departing leader, a hiring plan for the charter school leadership, and an entry plan for the charter school's successor, each of which outlines the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate change and maintain the charter school's ongoing success., A case study on how to plan for change of leadership at a charter school in the state of Florida., This case study looks at the retiring of a small urban charter school principal to explore ideas pertaining to how leadership changes could affect teachers and students in Florida’s charter schools. The author also included an activity where administrators and teacher leaders in training can develop an exit strategy, a hiring plan, and an entry plan that better serves the goals and ensures the success of a charter school.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0013, 10.1177/1555458915584672
Format: Citation

Title: Reflective Pedagogy: Making Meaning in Experiential Based Online Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L.
Abstract/Description: The use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective...
Show moreThe use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective pedagogies. One course focuses on topics related to service-learning and the second on placement-based internships. Both were instructed using online coursework based in reflective pedagogies to compliment on-site placements within local communities.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0001X
Format: Citation

Title: Creating a Meaningful Learning Environment: Reflection in leadership education.
Creator: White, Jillian Volpe, Guthrie, Kathy L.
Abstract/Description: This exploratory, qualitative study examined the reflective learning environment in an undergraduate leadership certificate. Undergraduate students (n = 14) were interviewed twice in order to understand if and how reflection, as a pedagogical tool, supported student learning. Learning about reflection, and practicing reflection regularly, introduced students to the importance of a reflective practice for understanding their leadership development. Students highlighted aspects of the...
Show moreThis exploratory, qualitative study examined the reflective learning environment in an undergraduate leadership certificate. Undergraduate students (n = 14) were interviewed twice in order to understand if and how reflection, as a pedagogical tool, supported student learning. Learning about reflection, and practicing reflection regularly, introduced students to the importance of a reflective practice for understanding their leadership development. Students highlighted aspects of the Leadership Certificate courses that contributed to their reflective practice and enhanced their learning environment. These included discussion-based courses, physical setting for the certificate classes, diverse peers, and certificate instructors. As a result, engaging in reflection as part of leadership courses helped students develop self-awareness.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1472906931, 1012806/V15/I1/R5
Format: Citation

Title: Higher Education and Democracy: Essays on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L
Abstract/Description: In Higher Education and Democracy: Essays on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, John Saltmarsh, Co-Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and Edward Zlotkowski, a professor of English at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, explore the civic purpose of higher education, specifically through service-learning pedagogy.
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479329691
Format: Citation

Title: Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies: An Opportunity for Seamless Learning.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L, Bovio, Becka
Abstract/Description: In working to develop undergraduate student leadership capacity, Florida State University created the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies. This program, grounded in leadership theory and framed by a seamless learning model, has been influential in development of student leadership perceptions and capacity. This article addresses the benefit of a seamless learning model, discusses the power of reflection, and provides insight to the successes of the program and suggestions to...
Show moreIn working to develop undergraduate student leadership capacity, Florida State University created the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies. This program, grounded in leadership theory and framed by a seamless learning model, has been influential in development of student leadership perceptions and capacity. This article addresses the benefit of a seamless learning model, discusses the power of reflection, and provides insight to the successes of the program and suggestions to create a similar program.
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Date Issued: 2014-02-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479234371
Format: Citation

Title: Creating Meaningful Environments for Leadership Education.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L.
Abstract/Description: As leadership educators we aim to provide students with opportunities necessary to gain knowledge and appropriate leadership skills. Valuable opportunities developed through Student Affairs and Academic Affairs collaborations which enhance learning through co-curricular and curricular experiences in leadership education will be explored. Present in these intentional environments are opportunities for students to have meaningful leadership learning when comprised of education, experience, and...
Show moreAs leadership educators we aim to provide students with opportunities necessary to gain knowledge and appropriate leadership skills. Valuable opportunities developed through Student Affairs and Academic Affairs collaborations which enhance learning through co-curricular and curricular experiences in leadership education will be explored. Present in these intentional environments are opportunities for students to have meaningful leadership learning when comprised of education, experience, and reflection. Specific examples from two institutions will be highlighted.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0003
Format: Citation

Title: Situated Technology as Student Tool for Leadership Instruction.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L
Abstract/Description: Technology is becoming a part of students’ lives more every day. How as educators can we use technology as a developmental tool instead of a distraction in the classroom? This paper frames technology in leadership instruction through situated learning, specifically how a video production course assignment provided a developmental opportunity for students in an introductory leadership course. The research reports students’ perception of using technology that extends beyond the specific...
Show moreTechnology is becoming a part of students’ lives more every day. How as educators can we use technology as a developmental tool instead of a distraction in the classroom? This paper frames technology in leadership instruction through situated learning, specifically how a video production course assignment provided a developmental opportunity for students in an introductory leadership course. The research reports students’ perception of using technology that extends beyond the specific objective of development of a personal definition of leadership, and offers a new perspective for engaging other forms of technology.
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Date Issued: 2009-06-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479931508
Format: Citation

Title: The Student Leadership Challenge Facilitation and Activity Guide.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L
Abstract/Description: As authors, James Kouzes and Barry Posner state in the opening of both of the reviewed books, The Student Leadership Challenge® is about how students mobilize others to make extraordinary things happen. It is based on The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model, which began as a research project in 1983 and focused on what leaders did when they were at their “personal best.” Their research found that when leaders are at their personal best they: (a) Model the Way; (b) Inspire a Shared...
Show moreAs authors, James Kouzes and Barry Posner state in the opening of both of the reviewed books, The Student Leadership Challenge® is about how students mobilize others to make extraordinary things happen. It is based on The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model, which began as a research project in 1983 and focused on what leaders did when they were at their “personal best.” Their research found that when leaders are at their personal best they: (a) Model the Way; (b) Inspire a Shared Vision; (c) Challenge the Process; (d) Enable Others to Act, and; (e) Encourage the Heart (Kouzes & Posner, 2008).
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Date Issued: 2014-04-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479329963, 10.1353/csd.2014.0026
Format: Citation

Title: Bridging the Cultural Gap: Relationships Between Programmatic Offerings and First-Generation Student Benchmarks.
Creator: Tobolowsky, Barbara F., Cox, Bradley E., Chunoo, Vivechkanand S.
Abstract/Description: Inherent challenges affect first-generation students’ persistence from as early as the first college year. Using cultural capital as a guide, this study is unique in that it investigates the contribution of first-year policies and programs to the success of first-generation students in 57 bachelor’s degree–granting institutions across five states (California, Florida, Iowa, Texas, and Pennsylvania). We identified at least three policies that seem to hold promise toward improving the...
Show moreInherent challenges affect first-generation students’ persistence from as early as the first college year. Using cultural capital as a guide, this study is unique in that it investigates the contribution of first-year policies and programs to the success of first-generation students in 57 bachelor’s degree–granting institutions across five states (California, Florida, Iowa, Texas, and Pennsylvania). We identified at least three policies that seem to hold promise toward improving the experience and outcomes for first-year first-generation college students. These policies were (a) residential life or campus support staff who are available and knowledgeable, (b) faculty who attend faculty orientation that includes information about first-year student experiences, and (c) faculty who attend first-year student orientation or attend first-year conferences or workshops. However, policies we might naturally expect to have been useful (e.g., information dissemination to parents, early alert intervention initiatives) showed no statistical significance. The article concludes with implications and recommendations.
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Date Issued: 2017-11-23
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1516726324_2c6d99ea, 10.1177/1521025117742377
Format: Citation

Title: Parental disclosure of ASD diagnosis to the child: A systematic review.
Creator: Smith, Isaac C., Edelstein, Jeffrey A., Cox, Bradley E., White, Susan W.
Abstract/Description: Despite increased rates of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in recent years, literature examining when and how parents of newly-diagnosed youth disclose their diagnosis to them is scarce. Given the increasing number of newly-diagnosed individuals, an exploration of the effects of disclosure on children with ASD is warranted. We conducted a systematic review to identify articles describing the process of disclosing a diagnosis of ASD from the perspective of children, parents, or...
Show moreDespite increased rates of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in recent years, literature examining when and how parents of newly-diagnosed youth disclose their diagnosis to them is scarce. Given the increasing number of newly-diagnosed individuals, an exploration of the effects of disclosure on children with ASD is warranted. We conducted a systematic review to identify articles describing the process of disclosing a diagnosis of ASD from the perspective of children, parents, or both. The current review identified five articles reporting qualitative data on the disclosure process. Across studies, most parents were found to have disclosed ASD diagnoses to their children by adolescence, with children and parents exhibiting a variety of reactions. Concerns frequently identified by children and parents included time taken to process the emotional impact of diagnoses, delay between parents receiving diagnoses from clinicians and delivery of those diagnoses to children, concern that the ASD label would result in stigmatization, and the sense that an individual’s past behaviors or symptoms were well-explained by the new diagnosis. Identification of these potential problems may serve as an initial step to inform the development of best-practice guidelines for parental disclosure of ASD diagnoses to youth and further research on this understudied part of the diagnostic process.
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Date Issued: 2018-02-02
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1518537263_72b43447, 10.1080/23794925.2018.1435319
Format: Citation

Title: Female and Male Adolescents' Subjective Orientations to Mathematics and the Influence of Those Orientations on Postsecondary Majors.
Creator: Perez-Felkner, Lara
Abstract/Description: Although important strides towards gender parity have been made in several scientific fields, females remain underrepresented in the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences (PEMC). This study examines the effects of adolescents' subjective orientations, course taking, and academic performance on the likelihood of majoring in PEMC in college. Results indicate that racial-ethnic and gender underrepresentation in STEM fields are interrelated and should be examined with...
Show moreAlthough important strides towards gender parity have been made in several scientific fields, females remain underrepresented in the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences (PEMC). This study examines the effects of adolescents' subjective orientations, course taking, and academic performance on the likelihood of majoring in PEMC in college. Results indicate that racial-ethnic and gender underrepresentation in STEM fields are interrelated and should be examined with attention to the intersecting factors influencing female and racial-ethnic minority adolescents' pathways towards careers in these fields. Among those who major in PEMC fields, females closely resemble males with respect to their subjective orientations. The effects of subjective orientations on females' chances of majoring in PEMC vary by their secondary school mathematics course completion levels. Females who take more mathematics courses are more likely to major in PEMC; however course taking alone does not attenuate gender disparities in declaring these majors. High mathematics ability (as measured by standardized test scores in 10th grade) appears to be positively associated with females' selection of social and behavioral and clinical and health science majors. This association is less robust (and slightly negative) for females in PEMC. While advanced course taking appears to assist females in selecting PEMC majors, females who enter these fields may not be as strong as those who select other, less male-dominated scientific fields., In this study, researchers investigated the perceive competence, academic performance, and completed high school courses by men and women who majored in the physical, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences (PEMC). Findings showed those who completed more mathematics courses in high school were more likely to enroll in PEMC majors; however, men still chose PEMC majors more often than women. In addition, women who majored in PEMC fields felt less competent than women who pursued less male-dominated fields such as behavioral, health, and social sciences.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0001, 10.1037/a0027020
Format: Citation

Title: Ni De Aquí, Ni De Allá: Conceptualizing the Self-Authorship Experience of Gay Latino College Men Using Conocimiento.
Creator: Orozco, Roberto, Perez-Felkner, Lara
Abstract/Description: This essay aims to enhance our conceptual understanding of students with intersectional identities, specifically gay Latino men in college. We first explain how ethnic, gender, and sexual identities can act as compounding influences. Second, we review two distinct but complementary developmental theories. Conocimiento captures the disruptive, challenging path experienced by marginalized Latino youth. Self-authorship situates the broader developmental process in and beyond college. Our...
Show moreThis essay aims to enhance our conceptual understanding of students with intersectional identities, specifically gay Latino men in college. We first explain how ethnic, gender, and sexual identities can act as compounding influences. Second, we review two distinct but complementary developmental theories. Conocimiento captures the disruptive, challenging path experienced by marginalized Latino youth. Self-authorship situates the broader developmental process in and beyond college. Our modified framework—conociéndose y escribiéndose—conceptualizes how college students navigate multiple marginalized identities. Finally, we discuss the implications of this intersectional framework for LGBTQ+ students and institutions seeking to enhance diversity, inclusion, and student success.
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Date Issued: 2017-08
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1510590237_fae855fd, 10.1080/15348431.2017.1371018
Format: Citation

Title: Perceptions Matter: How Schools Can Enhance Underrepresented Students’ Resilience on the Rocky Path to College.
Creator: Perez-Felkner, Lara
Abstract/Description: This policy brief summarizes the results of a three-year mixed methods study examining variation in students’ educational pathways. Investigating college-going among a predominantly low-income, underrepresented minority student population, detailed analysis shows distinctions in how students perceive relationships with school faculty and peers, which can serve as a mechanism to sustain their ambitions through the obstacles they encounter in high school and expect in college. Results suggest...
Show moreThis policy brief summarizes the results of a three-year mixed methods study examining variation in students’ educational pathways. Investigating college-going among a predominantly low-income, underrepresented minority student population, detailed analysis shows distinctions in how students perceive relationships with school faculty and peers, which can serve as a mechanism to sustain their ambitions through the obstacles they encounter in high school and expect in college. Results suggest schools can increase student success by facilitating social support structures that enhance students’ perceptions of value and esteem for their potential., Results from a three-year study examining how minority students transitioned to college showed that students’ relationships with peers, teachers, and other school staff helped them overcome obstacles on their way to college. The author suggested ways in which social support could improve students’ perceptions of their value and worth.
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Date Issued: 2015-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1890
Format: Citation

Title: Perceptions and Resilience in Underrepresented Students' Pathways to College.
Creator: Perez-Felkner, Lara
Abstract/Description: Background/Context: Schools have attempted to address stratification in black and Latino students’ access to higher education through extensive reform initiatives, including those focused on social supports. A crucial focus has been missing from these efforts, essential to improving the effectiveness of support mechanisms and understanding why they have been insufficient: how students experience these reforms. Purpose: How can the social context of schools keep underrepresented minority...
Show moreBackground/Context: Schools have attempted to address stratification in black and Latino students’ access to higher education through extensive reform initiatives, including those focused on social supports. A crucial focus has been missing from these efforts, essential to improving the effectiveness of support mechanisms and understanding why they have been insufficient: how students experience these reforms. Purpose: How can the social context of schools keep underrepresented minority students on track to transition to college? This study investigates how students experience the social contexts of their schools in relation to their college ambitions, and the particular attributes of schools’ social contexts that might positively affect their transition to four-year colleges. Research Design: Using a mixed-methods case study design, this three-year study examined students’ educational pathways in a Chicago charter high school. Data collection methods included ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and a longitudinal survey. Supplemental secondary data sources were utilized to contextualize the case study. Analysis: Interview transcripts and field notes were transcribed and coded to examine variation in students’ experience of their social context and their college transition plans. To contextualize these findings, the author utilized descriptive, associative, and logistic regression techniques to analyze quantitative data from the case study survey and corresponding city and national datasets. Findings: The school’s organization facilitated academic, social, and college preparatory support through structured relationships. Notwithstanding, there was notable within-school variation in students’ transitions to college. Students in this urban charter school often experienced multiple obstacles that interfered with the college ambitions they generally shared with their families and school peers. School regard is a mechanism identified in this study as central to students’ transition success. Students’ perceptions of their teachers’ and their peers’ regard for their capacity for educational success was associated with their persistence through the transition to college in the face of academic, socioeconomic, and other challenges. Conclusions/Recommendations: This study demonstrates the effort and engagement underrepresented students expend in the effort to become college-ready, and the risk for burnout as a result of both academic and nonacademic hardships during their high school years. School regard may mitigate these effects. Mere expectations for college appear insufficient in the current access-for-all climate. Rather, it is important that students perceive value and esteem for their potential from school faculty and peers, sustaining their ambitions through the obstacles they encounter in high school and expect in college., This study investigates how underrepresented students experience the social contexts of their schools in relation to their college ambitions, and the particular attributes of schools’ social contexts that might facilitate their transition to four-year colleges. College-aspiring students were surveyed, interviewed, and observed in a three-year study investigating the social context of a Chicago charter school. Administrative and public record data were also used to corroborate the findings. Results showed structured formal relationships with teachers and school staff facilitated college preparedness, and academic and social support. However, students’ perceptions of how teachers and peers regarded students was found to be significantly related to students’ successful transition to college, in the face of various academic, economic, and other challenges.
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Date Issued: 2015-08-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1889
Format: Citation

Title: College experiences for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Personal identity, public disclosure, and institutional support.
Creator: Cox, Bradley E., Thompson, Kerry, Anderson, Amelia, Mintz, Amanda, Locks, Taylor, Morgan, Lindee, Edelstein, Jeffrey, Wolz, Abagail
Abstract/Description: A large and fast-growing population of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are completing high school with reasonable expectations for postsecondary success. However, without empirical literature to guide them, college educators are likely ill prepared to provide appropriate support for these students. Drawing from personal interviews with a diverse group of students with autism, the current study (1) amplifies these students' voices, (2) describes tensions between their public...
Show moreA large and fast-growing population of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are completing high school with reasonable expectations for postsecondary success. However, without empirical literature to guide them, college educators are likely ill prepared to provide appropriate support for these students. Drawing from personal interviews with a diverse group of students with autism, the current study (1) amplifies these students' voices, (2) describes tensions between their public and private identities, (3) outlines the academic, social, emotional, self-advocacy, and communication challenges they face in college, and (4) proposes both general principles and specific practices that could be leveraged to facilitate postsecondary success for students with autism.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460660561
Format: Citation

Title: Expanding the Conceptualization of Basic Education: The Implementation of a Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum in Malawi.
Creator: Lee, Jeongmin, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Jones, Ithel, Iatarola, Patrice, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy...
Show moreLee, Jeongmin, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Jones, Ithel, Iatarola, Patrice, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
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Abstract/Description: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world’s least developed countries. The country faces numerous social and health problems such as widespread household poverty and a high rate of HIV/AIDS infections, with severe consequences for children’s psychosocial well-being and school success. These childhood risk factors suggest any educational solution that is going to be effective must be responsive to children exposed to early childhood adversity, and adaptive to instruction in resource-constrained...
Show moreLandlocked Malawi ranks among the world’s least developed countries. The country faces numerous social and health problems such as widespread household poverty and a high rate of HIV/AIDS infections, with severe consequences for children’s psychosocial well-being and school success. These childhood risk factors suggest any educational solution that is going to be effective must be responsive to children exposed to early childhood adversity, and adaptive to instruction in resource-constrained schools. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum analyzed in this study can potentially meet those requirements, if implemented effectively. In order to understand critical implementation factors in resource-poor contexts, I examined how educational stakeholders at the policy, school, and family levels perceived and engaged with SEL implementation with a mixed methods study in rural Malawi. I used interview, observation, and survey data collected from 16 policymakers, 432 primary school teachers, and 21 parents in Zomba, Malawi. I analyzed the multi-level, mixed methods data using Bronfenbrenner’s theory of ecological child development as an analytic lens. Qualitatively, I found that policymakers identified high rates of HIV/AIDS and declining levels of childcare support from extend families as contributing substantially to children’s social and emotional challenges in Malawi. In response, they implemented a mandatory SEL curriculum with sex and reproductive health as one component of its vision in primary schools. This policy vision did not fully translate into classroom-level SEL implementation, however. Although teachers recognized its importance and showed the consequently high level of instructional commitment, implementing the national SEL curriculum was culturally challenging due to the inclusion of sex and reproductive health, which was not a subject for public discussions in the Malawian culture. Moreover, the curriculum was instructionally demanding due to the novelty of learning concepts and delivery methods. Yet, there was a lack of professional teacher training in these two areas. In this situation, my quantitative analyses showed that individual teacher commitment alone had little effect on their implementation of SEL as a result. While parents also appreciated the curriculum, they questioned the cultural and age propriety of topics related to sex and reproductive health as well. Nevertheless, through internal collaborations within schools and external support from development partners such as Save the Children, teachers and parents found ways to integrate the SEL curriculum into classroom instructions, school activities, and community-level learning opportunities—for instance, using instructional strategies that were less susceptible to cultural sensitivity, organizing school committees and student clubs to offer SEL support beyond lesson hours, and creating voluntary community groups to give children additional learning opportunities after school. Taken together, the facilitative and hindering implementation factors I identified in this study offer important research and policy implications for effective, sustainable SEL intervention in Malawi and other low-income countries. In addition, they demonstrate the significance of greater partnerships and investments across different levels of the ecology of child development—from the home, school, and community to the broader policy level—for assuring children’s well-being and school success through high quality SEL education. Key words: Education Quality, Social and Emotional Learning, Curriculum Policy, Intervention Implementation, Multilevel Mixed Methods Research, Malawi
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Sp_Lee_fsu_0071E_14387
Format: Thesis

Title: All Together Now: Barriers and Aids to Creating and Sustaining State College-University Partnerships.
Creator: Edel, Sharon, Hu, Shouping, Ferris, Gerald R., Schwartz, Robert A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Abstract/Description: All 28 colleges of the Florida College System (FCS) have made space in their budgets and on their campuses in order to attract upper-division partners, colleges and universities that represent the State University System (SUS), Independent Colleges and Schools of Florida, and other higher education institutions nationwide. Partnership relationships such as the ones negotiated between FCS institutions and upper division schools are defined as academic strategic alliances in higher education...
Show moreAll 28 colleges of the Florida College System (FCS) have made space in their budgets and on their campuses in order to attract upper-division partners, colleges and universities that represent the State University System (SUS), Independent Colleges and Schools of Florida, and other higher education institutions nationwide. Partnership relationships such as the ones negotiated between FCS institutions and upper division schools are defined as academic strategic alliances in higher education literature. Scholars have taken this terminology from business management lexicon wherein organizations respond to a competitive market by joining forces (Das & Teng, 1997). Accordingly, scholars from both fields emphasize the concept of collaboration packed inside the strategic decision of campus leaders to pool their resources partnerships (Adegbesan & Higgins, 2011; Eckel, Hartley, & Affolter-Caine, 2004). This study explored both sides of the state college-university partnership dynamic through the eyes of the administrators using themes from Gulati’s (1998) network embeddedness framework. I employed a qualitative research design to determine the influence of alliance initiatives on the social networks involved in their implementation. I used a collective-case study approach employing data triangulation (interviews, documents, and observation) to seek out any emerging themes. I also sought out institutional data to support this study. A majority of these FCS concurrent-use arrangements have persisted while others have failed. This study contributes to higher education literature by offering a means to expand the scope of previous academic strategic alliance studies. Instead of focusing on partnership dyads, this study explored how host and partner institution administrators operate within a social network embedded at the study sites. I propose fresh perspectives to explain how each member involved within a state college’s university partnership program can assert its own needs while working in concert to define common goals and objectives. My two key findings identified the perception of lack as the primary barrier and effective communication as the most influential aid to partnership creation and maintenance.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: FSU_FA2016_Edel_fsu_0071E_13539
Format: Thesis

Title: School Leadership, Trust and Teacher Job Satisfaction Is It a Potential Strategy for Raising Student Achievement?.
Creator: Lindahl, Cameron, Park, Toby J., Iatarola, Patrice, Rutledge, Stacey A., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Abstract/Description: Research literature suggests that school leadership matters, and that their influence on student achievement is typically observed through indirect means. Following suit, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of school leadership behaviors' association with school trust and teacher job satisfaction, in an effort to maximize student achievement. Using varying survey data from Chicago Public Schools, I perform a series of linear regression analyses to explore these...
Show moreResearch literature suggests that school leadership matters, and that their influence on student achievement is typically observed through indirect means. Following suit, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of school leadership behaviors' association with school trust and teacher job satisfaction, in an effort to maximize student achievement. Using varying survey data from Chicago Public Schools, I perform a series of linear regression analyses to explore these relationships: First, the relationship school leadership has with school trust and teacher job satisfaction is investigated. Second, the association school trust and teacher job satisfaction has on student achievement. Finally, the magnitudes of the relationships school trust and teacher job satisfaction have on student achievement are compared. The results reveal that school leadership behavior has a relationship with school trust and teacher job satisfaction, but that school trust and teacher job satisfaction do not have clear relationships with student achievement. The study suggests that further investigation is conducted on the relationship school trust and teacher job satisfaction have on student achievement.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-9208
Format: Thesis

Title: Faculty-Student Interaction Outside of Class: A Typology from a Residential College.
Creator: Cox, Bradley E., Orehovec, Elizabeth
Abstract/Description: Faculty-student interaction is an important component of the undergraduate experience. Our year-long qualitative study explored the complex nature of faculty-student interaction outside of class. Our resulting typology identifies five types of interaction: Disengagement, Incidental Contact, Functional Interaction, Personal Interaction, and Mentoring. The typology provides researchers a new lens through which they can examine faculty-student interaction and suggests that even non-academic...
Show moreFaculty-student interaction is an important component of the undergraduate experience. Our year-long qualitative study explored the complex nature of faculty-student interaction outside of class. Our resulting typology identifies five types of interaction: Disengagement, Incidental Contact, Functional Interaction, Personal Interaction, and Mentoring. The typology provides researchers a new lens through which they can examine faculty-student interaction and suggests that even non-academic interactions between students and professors can be meaningful to students. Finally, the typology will allow faculty, staff, and administrators to improve current practices and develop initiatives that build bridges between faculty and students outside of class.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0020
Format: Citation

Title: Hidden Trauma, Quiet Drama: The Prominence and Consequence of Complicated Grief Among College Students.
Creator: Cox, Bradley E., Dean, Jessica G., Kowalski, Robin M.
Abstract/Description: Previous studies suggest the loss of a loved one is a common experience among college students. This paper draws from 2 independent but complementary studies to (a) update statistics regarding the scale of student grieving, (b) characterize the short and long term consequences of loss among college students, and (c) identify factors that deter grieving students from seeking professional assistance at campus counseling centers. The paper concludes with suggestions for ways in which...
Show morePrevious studies suggest the loss of a loved one is a common experience among college students. This paper draws from 2 independent but complementary studies to (a) update statistics regarding the scale of student grieving, (b) characterize the short and long term consequences of loss among college students, and (c) identify factors that deter grieving students from seeking professional assistance at campus counseling centers. The paper concludes with suggestions for ways in which institutions can help affected students stay on track to college success., In this article, two independent but complementary studies on college students showed that a larger portion than reported do experience grieving as a result of the death of a loved one, that said grieving has short and long term academic consequences, and finally that there are a number of factors that keep these students from seeking assistance. The authors also provided suggestions for academic institutions., This paper reported on the findings of two studies on grieving among college students, and found that the number of grieving students is higher than previously thought, that there are short and long term academic consequences of grieving, and that many of these students failed to seek assistance for a number of reasons.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0014, 10.1353/csd.2015.0030
Format: Citation

Title: Implementing Mother Tongue Instruction In The Real World: Results From A Medium-scale Randomized Controlled Trial In Kenya.
Creator: Piper, Benjamin, Zuilkowski, Stephanie S., Ong'ele, Salome
Abstract/Description: Research in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the effect of mother tongue (MT) literacy instruction at medium scale is limited. A randomized controlled trial of MT literacy instruction was implemented in 2013 and 2014 as part of the Primary Math and Reading (PRIMR) Initiative in Kenya. We compare the effect of two treatment groupsthe base PRIMR program teaching literacy in English and Kiswahili and the PRIMR-MT program, which taught literacy in English, Kiswahili, and mother tonguein two...
Show moreResearch in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the effect of mother tongue (MT) literacy instruction at medium scale is limited. A randomized controlled trial of MT literacy instruction was implemented in 2013 and 2014 as part of the Primary Math and Reading (PRIMR) Initiative in Kenya. We compare the effect of two treatment groupsthe base PRIMR program teaching literacy in English and Kiswahili and the PRIMR-MT program, which taught literacy in English, Kiswahili, and mother tonguein two different language environments. Implementation of the MT program faced challenges because many educators were not speakers of the languages, some communities resisted mother tongue instruction, and some areas were more language heterogeneous. Effect sizes on MT literacy averaged between 0.3 and 0.6 standard deviations. The base PRIMR program also increased MT learning outcomes in some measures but had smaller effects than the PRIMR-MT program in oral reading fluency and comprehension.
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Date Issued: 2016-11
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000387246700006, 10.1086/688493
Format: Citation

Title: Assessing Reading Fluency in Kenya: Oral or Silent Assessment?.
Creator: Piper, Benjamin, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons
Abstract/Description: In recent years, the Education for All movement has focused more intensely on the quality of education, rather than simply provision. Many recent and current education quality interventions focus on literacy, which is the core skill required for further academic success. Despite this focus on the quality of literacy instruction in developing countries, little rigorous research has been conducted on critical issues of assessment. This analysis, which uses data from the Primary Math and Reading...
Show moreIn recent years, the Education for All movement has focused more intensely on the quality of education, rather than simply provision. Many recent and current education quality interventions focus on literacy, which is the core skill required for further academic success. Despite this focus on the quality of literacy instruction in developing countries, little rigorous research has been conducted on critical issues of assessment. This analysis, which uses data from the Primary Math and Reading Initiative (PRIMR) in Kenya, aims to begin filling this gap by addressing a key assessment issue — should literacy assessments in Kenya be administered orally or silently? The authors compared second-grade students' scores on oral and silent reading tasks of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in Kiswahili and English, and found no statistically significant differences in either language. They did, however, find oral reading rates to be more strongly related to reading comprehension scores. Oral assessment has another benefit for programme evaluators — it allows for the collection of data on student errors, and therefore the calculation of words read correctly per minute, as opposed to simply words read per minute. The authors therefore recommend that, in Kenya and in similar contexts, student reading fluency be assessed via oral rather than silent assessment.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0011, 10.1007/s11159-015-9470-4
Format: Citation

Title: The impact of education on sexual behavior in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of the evidence.
Creator: Zuilkowski, Stephanie, Jukes, Matthew C. H.
Abstract/Description: Many studies have attempted to determine the relationship between education and HIV status. However, a complete and causal understanding of this relationship requires analysis of its mediating pathways, focusing on sexual behaviors. We developed a series of hypotheses based on the differential effect of educational attainment on three sexual behaviors. We tested our predictions in a systematic literature review including 65 articles reporting associations between three specific sexual...
Show moreMany studies have attempted to determine the relationship between education and HIV status. However, a complete and causal understanding of this relationship requires analysis of its mediating pathways, focusing on sexual behaviors. We developed a series of hypotheses based on the differential effect of educational attainment on three sexual behaviors. We tested our predictions in a systematic literature review including 65 articles reporting associations between three specific sexual behaviors–sexual initiation, number of partners, and condom use–and educational attainment or school enrollment in sub-Saharan Africa. The patterns of associations varied by behavior. The findings for condom use were particularly convergent; none of the 44 studies using educational attainment as a predictor reviewed found that more educated people were significantly less likely to use condoms. Findings for sexual initiation and number of partners were more complex. The contrast between findings for condom use on the one hand and sexual initiation and number of partners on the other supports predictions based on our theoretical framework.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0006, 10.1080/09540121.2011.630351
Format: Citation

Title: School Persistence in the Wake of War: Wartime Experiences, Reintegration Supports, and Dropout in Sierra Leone.
Creator: Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Betancourt, Theresa S. (Theresa Stichick)
Abstract/Description: This article examines the relationship of wartime experience and reintegration supports to students' risk of school dropout. It draws on longitudinal, mixed-methods data collected among children and youth in Sierra Leone from 2002 through 2008. The study finds that family financial support and perceived social support are positively associated with lower risk of dropout over time.
Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0015, 10.1086/675905
Format: Citation

Title: Teacher Coaching in Kenya: Examining Instructional Support in Public and Nonformal Schools.
Creator: Piper, Benjamin, Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons
Abstract/Description: Instructional coaching has improved student outcomes in the United States, and may help to solve Kenya's literacy problems. Coaching is costly, however, and evidence is lacking regarding the most costefficient teacher-to-coach ratio. We used student literacy outcome data from more than 8000 students participating in the Kenya Primary Math and Reading Initiativeda randomized controlled trial of instructional interventions in public and nonformal schoolsdto fill this gap. Coaches in larger...
Show moreInstructional coaching has improved student outcomes in the United States, and may help to solve Kenya's literacy problems. Coaching is costly, however, and evidence is lacking regarding the most costefficient teacher-to-coach ratio. We used student literacy outcome data from more than 8000 students participating in the Kenya Primary Math and Reading Initiativeda randomized controlled trial of instructional interventions in public and nonformal schoolsdto fill this gap. Coaches in larger public zones made fewer visits per teacher, and teacher-coach ratio and student performance were negatively associated. Using causal methods, we concluded that lower ratios might improve nonformal school outcomes.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0012, 10.1016/j.tate.2015.01.001
Format: Citation

Title: Teaching and Learning Social Justice through Online Service-Learning Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L., McCracken, Holly
Abstract/Description: Creating a virtual classroom in which diverse students feel welcome to discuss and experience topics related to social justice, action, and change is a study in the value of connectedness and collaboration. Through a combination of technologies, pedagogies, and on-site experiences, virtual cultures develop that encourage the formation of demanding yet stimulating learning environments in which communications and interactions are intellectually transformative. This article explores student...
Show moreCreating a virtual classroom in which diverse students feel welcome to discuss and experience topics related to social justice, action, and change is a study in the value of connectedness and collaboration. Through a combination of technologies, pedagogies, and on-site experiences, virtual cultures develop that encourage the formation of demanding yet stimulating learning environments in which communications and interactions are intellectually transformative. This article explores student perceptions of their participation in an online service-learning course while working in local service organizations. Qualitative methodology was used to identify the philosophical intersection at which multiple pedagogies meet: social justice, service-learning, civic engagement, and leadership as instructed in a web-based environment. This study illustrates the capacity for intentionally constructed online educational experiences focused on social justice, civic engagement, and leadership to affect learning and to provide educators with pedagogical best practices to facilitate requisite change in teaching practice., In this study, students working in local service organizations participated in an online service-learning course, and their perceptions were documented. Students shared discussions and experiences related to social justice, action, and civic engagement, as part of their web-based learning environment. Findings in this study illustrated the potential of online educational experiences to inform instructional best practices and create learning environments that are transformative.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0002, 10.19173/irrodl.v11i3.894
Format: Citation

Title: Utility of the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) for career planning in college students with ADHD.
Creator: Prevatt, Frances, Osborn, Debra, Coffman, Theodora Passinos
Date Issued: 2015-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1519745512_c8e64d3d
Format: Citation

Title: Reflection: The Importance of Meaning Making in e-Service-Learning Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L, McCracken, Holly
Abstract/Description: This article explores the use of critical reflection to facilitate the construction of knowledge resulting from participation in E-service-learning courses. Such an instructional approach integrates an interdisciplinary curricular framework with site-specific service-learning opportunities resulting in an environment richer and more accessible through the use of technology. By facilitating the process of reflective inquiry through this combination of instructional methods of service-learning...
Show moreThis article explores the use of critical reflection to facilitate the construction of knowledge resulting from participation in E-service-learning courses. Such an instructional approach integrates an interdisciplinary curricular framework with site-specific service-learning opportunities resulting in an environment richer and more accessible through the use of technology. By facilitating the process of reflective inquiry through this combination of instructional methods of service-learning and an online course format, students are empowered to both assess individual learning goals as well as collaborate with others to make meaning of their individual service-learning experience. Results from this study indicate that students felt reflection was essential to learning through gaining multiple perspectives and being introduced to a diversity of ideas.
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Date Issued: 2014-12-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479844279, 10.1007/s12528-014-9087-9
Format: Citation

Title: Reflective Pedagogy: Making Meaning in Experiential Based Online Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L, McCracken, Holly
Abstract/Description: The use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective...
Show moreThe use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective pedagogies. One course focuses on topics related to service-learning and the second on placement-based internships. Both were instructed using online coursework based in reflective pedagogies to compliment on-site placements within local communities.
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Date Issued: 2010-07-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479236374
Format: Citation

Title: Mobile Applications: Situating Leadership Education.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L, Shields, Sarah E, Zernick, Kristen K
Abstract/Description: Florida State University has recently introduced the LEAD (Lead, Engage, Apply, Develop) Mobile Application for undergraduate students. This innovative platform has situated potential building of leadership capacity directly into the hands of students. Individual modules are available in this mobile app and designed to introduce leadership concepts, activities for users to practice applying these theories to their own reality, and reflection for students to make meaning from the theories...
Show moreFlorida State University has recently introduced the LEAD (Lead, Engage, Apply, Develop) Mobile Application for undergraduate students. This innovative platform has situated potential building of leadership capacity directly into the hands of students. Individual modules are available in this mobile app and designed to introduce leadership concepts, activities for users to practice applying these theories to their own reality, and reflection for students to make meaning from the theories learned and application. This article explores the application’s innovative features, lessons learned from the development, and implications for leadership educators and learners.
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Date Issued: 2014-06-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1479844665, 10.1002/jls.21333.
Format: Citation

Title: The Need for an Islamic Pedagogy.
Creator: Sabrin, Mohammed, Easton, Peter, Milligan, Jeffrey, Luschei, Tom, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: For the neo-colonized Muslim ummah ("nation") without a place to fully practice Islam since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, there is pressing demand in the Muslim world for an Islamic pedagogy extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah (and the rich scholarship that exists concerning them) that illustrates the Islamic perspective of knowledge and morality and how it could be practiced in the various disciplines of the educational system to promote human development (Cook 1999; Cook 2001). Re-newed...
Show moreFor the neo-colonized Muslim ummah ("nation") without a place to fully practice Islam since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, there is pressing demand in the Muslim world for an Islamic pedagogy extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah (and the rich scholarship that exists concerning them) that illustrates the Islamic perspective of knowledge and morality and how it could be practiced in the various disciplines of the educational system to promote human development (Cook 1999; Cook 2001). Re-newed identification of the general public of Muslims with pre-colonization identities has been particularly on the rise since the 1970s—which is commonly known as the beginning of the "Islamic Awakening" in the Muslim world (Cook, 2001, p.381; Haddad and Esposito, 1991, p.1). However, similar to many other institutions in most modern day Muslim countries, formal education mostly consists of teaching methods inherited from previous colonizers, like rote memorization (Gesink, 2006, pgs. 328-329; Ofori-Attah, 2008, pgs.15, 18). This dissonance of values is perpetuated by corrupt authoritarian puppet regimes who seek to maintain their power by supporting Western hegemony in the region; hence, providing quality education that enhances critical thinking skills that might challenge the status quo is not an initiative that receives much support (Kincheloe and Steinberg, 2004, p.149). While teachers in the Muslim world, in places like Egypt, often teach Islamic and positivistic empirical sciences, both are taught through a banking theory approach that does little to develop critical thinking skills, let alone master basic conceptual knowledge. Aside from the ineffectiveness of such methods, such a teaching philosophy spreads a passive slave-like mentality to education which does not cultivate active citizens who will work for social justice . How one teaches reflects their values. The following exemplar of an Islamic pedagogy hopes to offer a culturally relevant solution. The intent of this research is to develop an Islamic pedagogy that inspires an active approach to creating change in one's society by changing oneself and working to be an active contribution to societal change simultaneously. This thesis focuses on Islamic Pedagogy as it relates to two branches-developing caring student/teacher relationships and utilizing these relationships to apply a case-based learning approach where students learn how to apply knowledge directly from the educator and from their peers. While this research is mostly theoretical and could possibly be valid for many parts of the Muslim world, the main geographical intent for application is Egypt.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-2140
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Cultural Adjustment and Motivation for Educational Participation: An Exploratory Study of Immigrant Community College Students Enrolled in an Advanced ESL Program.
Creator: Metianu, Mihaela N., Bower, Beverly, Hasson, Deborah, Dalton, Jon, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Immigration trends in the beginning of the new millennium represent a significant force in shaping population characteristics in the United States. Census data on age and education of foreign-born individuals indicate that they have the potential to enter the higher education system. Meanwhile community colleges appeal to the educational needs of immigrants in search of language training, job skills, and career opportunities. The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the...
Show moreImmigration trends in the beginning of the new millennium represent a significant force in shaping population characteristics in the United States. Census data on age and education of foreign-born individuals indicate that they have the potential to enter the higher education system. Meanwhile community colleges appeal to the educational needs of immigrants in search of language training, job skills, and career opportunities. The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between factors of adjustment to life in the U.S. and motivation for educational participation among immigrant students enrolled in advanced English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at a community college in South Florida. Using a survey developed by the researcher ' Survey of Demographics and Cultural Adjustment (SDCA) -- four factors of cultural adjustment were identified through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): interaction facility, language use, immigration circumstances, and educational experience. The first three factors were statistically viable and were used to examine the relationships between the factors of cultural adjustment and the factors of motivation for educational participation. Motivational factors were defined based on the Educational Participation (EPS) scale. Correlation analysis indicated that there was a strong positive relationship between interaction facility and the motivation to improve communication skills. In addition, the study affirmed that the primary motivations for educational participation among recently arrived immigrants were communication improvement, educational preparation, and professional advancement. This study contributes to knowledge about the role of community colleges in educating immigrant students. Additional research is needed to further develop the SDCA instrument and to expand such studies to other community colleges that experience similar influx of immigrant students.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7047
Format: Thesis

Title: A Comparison of Online Teaching Styles in Florida Community Colleges.
Creator: Barrett, Karinda Rankin, Bower, Beverly, Branson, Robert, Mann, Barbara, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study determined whether differences existed between the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who teach online. It was significant because distance education literature highlights a learner-centered teaching style as the appropriate method for teaching online, but limited empirical research exists to support this stance. In order to appropriately answer the research questions posed in this study, I implemented a basic correlational research design. The...
Show moreThis study determined whether differences existed between the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who teach online. It was significant because distance education literature highlights a learner-centered teaching style as the appropriate method for teaching online, but limited empirical research exists to support this stance. In order to appropriately answer the research questions posed in this study, I implemented a basic correlational research design. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) was used to measure overall teaching style and seven factors related to teaching style (Conti, 1979). Conti developed PALS in order to assess teaching style through positive and negative behaviors. Teaching experience, discipline, level of education, and employment status, which also have the potential to impact whether community college instructors favor a learner-centered style or a teacher-centered style, were considered in this study. The population consisted of all instructors at Florida's 28 community colleges who were teaching in an online distance education environment. MANOVA and ANOVA were used to analyze the data which was collected through a web-based administration of PALS. Effect size was also included. Results depicted a difference in the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who taught online. Women demonstrated a more learner-centered style than men in terms of their overall teaching style. Differences were also apparent based on the second factor, Personalizing Instruction, in which case, women were more likely than men to implement a more learner-centered teaching style. In terms of the demographic variables, differences in teaching styles were noted based on discipline and whether the instructor taught full or part-time. Those instructors who taught in disciplines considered soft/applied implemented a more learner-centered style. Instructors in the hard/pure disciplines demonstrated a greater use of a teacher-centered style. Contrary to prior research, part-time instructors used a more learner-centered style. A difference in the teaching styles of men and women depicted teaching styles that are below the original norms of PALS, highlighting an online teaching style that is more teacher-centered. Even though women take a more learner-centered approach to teaching than men, the online environment has yet to evolve into a truly learner-centered environment.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7034
Format: Thesis

Title: Sustainable Collaborations: A Grounded Theory of Faculty Development for Interdisciplinary Team-Teaching.
Creator: Iacino, Jennifer Christina, Beckham, Joseph, Brower, Ralph, Schwartz, Robert A., Guthrie, Kathy, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This qualitative study examined the experiences of higher education faculty participating in an interdisciplinary team-taught sustainability curricular project. The concept of sustainability, most often considered in relation to environmental concerns or issues, describes any set of conditions or processes that are configured in such a manner as to reinvest resources, thereby allowing for sustained continuation of the process, without a depletion of existing resources. It follows then, that...
Show moreThis qualitative study examined the experiences of higher education faculty participating in an interdisciplinary team-taught sustainability curricular project. The concept of sustainability, most often considered in relation to environmental concerns or issues, describes any set of conditions or processes that are configured in such a manner as to reinvest resources, thereby allowing for sustained continuation of the process, without a depletion of existing resources. It follows then, that the educational process itself, that is, the pedagogy of sustainability concepts, must also be sustained by its participants. When placed in the context of mounting global concern and interest in education for sustainable development, empirical research on sustainability curriculum and interdisciplinary team-teaching is critical to developing effective solutions and innovations for complex global problems. The United Nations has declared 2005-2014 as the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development. Higher education is a significant forum for teaching students to think critically, comprehensively, and in an integrated way as to engage sustainable solutions to complex world problems. Limited research and findings on team-teaching, interdisciplinary collaborations, and faculty development leave questions for educators about the most effective means to implement innovative options for education of sustainability competencies. Existing formal and substantive theories are insufficient to address the research question: What conditions and resources are necessary for sustainable participation of faculty in interdisciplinary team-teaching of sustainability curriculum? The purpose of this study was to generate theory, grounded in the data, about the faculty development process and/or conditions necessary for sustained faculty collaborations to offer interdisciplinary team-taught sustainability curriculum. Through a process of grounded analysis involving thematic coding, constant comparison, and data saturation, primary themes were constructed into a model for faculty development of interdisciplinary team teaching that may serve as a means for sustainable, renewable, and ongoing faculty participation in an interdisciplinary team-taught sustainability curriculum program. Data for the study was collected during a three year period from 2009-2011 and was collected as part of an ongoing evaluation of the curricular project under investigation, funded by a national educational foundation.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4922
Format: Thesis

Title: Exploring the Effect of a Non-Residential Learning Community on Academic Achievement and Institutional Persistence.
Creator: Heaton, Patrick Michael, Schwartz, Robert A., Roehrig-Bice, Alysia, Iatarola, Patrice, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine what effect the Freshmen Interest Group (FIG) program, a variation of a non-residential learning community had on academic achievement scores and institutional rates of persistence. Study variables included: gender; race; pre-collegiate academic achievement (GPA scores); educational preferences (major choice); enrollment status, and cumulative grade point average scores, and participation in the FIG program. Regression analysis showed that FIG program...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine what effect the Freshmen Interest Group (FIG) program, a variation of a non-residential learning community had on academic achievement scores and institutional rates of persistence. Study variables included: gender; race; pre-collegiate academic achievement (GPA scores); educational preferences (major choice); enrollment status, and cumulative grade point average scores, and participation in the FIG program. Regression analysis showed that FIG program had a statistically significant positive effect on the mean GPA scores of participants but no significant effect on the rate of institutional persistence. Examining how student gender, race, pre-collegiate achievement, and educational preference interacted with the effect the FIG program had on academic achievement, regression analysis showed that female FIG participants had lower statistically significant achievement scores than male FIG participants, but when analysis was conducted for the full study sample females had higher achievement scores than males. In terms of institutional persistence the analysis of the control variables found that Black identifying students in the sample had statistically significantly high rates of persistence compared to peers, but Black identifying FIG participants had a statistically significantly lower rate of persistence compared to peers participating in the FIG program from other race groups. Students who elected to enroll in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) curriculum area statistically had significantly lower rates of persistence compared to non-STEM students. The study's findings showed that the FIG program was an effective intervention to change the direction of the statistical effect to a higher persistence rate than that found for non-STEM students. The FIG program was shown to be a possible means by which to improve the academic achievement and institutional persistence of college students. Because the results very, in direction and intensity, for students based on some socio-demographic and educational preference variables, policy makers are encouraged to conduct more research and proceed with caution before using a non-residential learning community like the FIG as an universal means by which to increase educational effectiveness.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-4903
Format: Thesis

Title: The Florida Gold Seal Quality Care Program: A Policy Analysis.
Creator: Kalifeh, Phyllis, Iatarola, Patrice, Readdick, Christine, Milton, Sande, Rutledge, Stacey, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Florida's Gold Seal Quality Care program, created in statute in 1996, serves as a policy lever to improve program quality in childcare and serve as a symbol of quality for parents when choosing a childcare provider for their children. Childcare programs can receive a Gold Seal certificate if they submit evidence that they are accredited under one of the approved accrediting associations to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the state agency responsible for childcare licensing...
Show moreFlorida's Gold Seal Quality Care program, created in statute in 1996, serves as a policy lever to improve program quality in childcare and serve as a symbol of quality for parents when choosing a childcare provider for their children. Childcare programs can receive a Gold Seal certificate if they submit evidence that they are accredited under one of the approved accrediting associations to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the state agency responsible for childcare licensing and regulation. The state invests approximately $33 million in additional payments for Gold Seal programs for children receiving childcare subsidies through the Florida Office of Early Learning. Gold Seal programs, inclusive of private for profit, non-profit, faith-based and public schools, are approved as providers of the state's Voluntary Pre-kindergarten program. Additional incentives include property tax abatement for ad valorem taxes for programs that are private, for profit businesses. Sales taxes on certain educational supplies, materials and equipment are also waived for Gold Seal programs which is estimated to cost the state approximately $200,000 per year. This study examined the differences in observed quality between Gold Seal and non-Gold Seal programs in 1,760 early childhood center-based and home-based settings yielding 3,506 assessments in 11 Florida counties over a two year period from 2010-2012. Observable quality was measured by the Environment Rating Scales (ERS), a valid and reliable set of instruments for measuring quality in early childhood settings. The study also examined the differences between programs accredited by one of 11 accrediting associations approved under Gold Seal and observed quality as measured by the Environment Rating Scales. Findings showed that Gold Seal programs scored higher on measures of quality than non-Gold Seal programs and differences were statistically significant; although the differences are relatively modest. Four of the 11 accrediting associations approved under Florida's Gold Seal policy were positively associated with higher scores on the ERS. In spite of the positive findings, the distribution of scores showed that only 19.4% of Gold Seal programs scored in the good to excellent range compared to 14.9% of non-Gold Seal programs. Further, 11.4% of Gold Seal programs and 21.3% of non-Gold Seal programs scored in the range of poor and inadequate care. These results suggested that while Florida's Gold Seal programs score slightly higher than non-Gold Seal programs on the ERS, overall program quality in the majority of programs was mediocre to poor in the state. Implications for policy and practice are provided for stakeholders to include the State, Early Learning Coalitions, accrediting associations and childcare providers. Future research is warranted to determine how other factors such as poverty; program capacity, provider choice of an accrediting association and parent choice of an early learning provider play a role in improving quality improvement strategies linked to better child outcomes.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7442
Format: Thesis

Title: Instructional Leadership Practices and Teacher Efficacy Beliefs: Cross-National Evidence from Talis.
Creator: Rew, W. Joshua, Lang, Laura B., Becker, Betsy J., Milligan, Jeffrey A., Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: School principals have a small to moderate influence on student achievement; however, this influence is largely indirect via the behaviors, beliefs, knowledge, practices, and competencies of their teachers. Despite a growing number of studies examining the indirect influence of school principals on student achievement, there is still much to know concerning the practices school principals use to influence student achievement and how teachers mediate this influence. A promising contribution is...
Show moreSchool principals have a small to moderate influence on student achievement; however, this influence is largely indirect via the behaviors, beliefs, knowledge, practices, and competencies of their teachers. Despite a growing number of studies examining the indirect influence of school principals on student achievement, there is still much to know concerning the practices school principals use to influence student achievement and how teachers mediate this influence. A promising contribution is the examination of the indirect relation between instructional leadership practices and student achievement via the efficacy beliefs of teachers. The reason for this optimism is the notion that teacher efficacy beliefs correlate with student achievement and instructional leadership practices correlate with teacher efficacy beliefs. However, only a handful of studies have examined the influence of instructional leadership practices on the efficacy beliefs of teachers. Although these studies found significant and positive relations (Stipek, 2012; Thoonen, Sleegers, Oort, Peetsma, & Geijsel, 2011; Geijsel, Sleegers, Stoel, & Kruger, 2009; Coladarci & Breton, 1997), the majority had serious limitations which likely led to an overestimation of the influence of instructional leadership practices. The objective of this study was to surmount the limitations of the previous studies and ascertain whether school principals using specific instructional leadership practices positively influence the efficacy beliefs of lower secondary education teachers. This study was a secondary analysis of teacher, principal, and school data from twenty-one countries who participated in the 2007-2008 Teaching and Learning International Study (TALIS). It combined Pitner's (1988) mediated effects model and Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory as a conceptual model, and employed a three-level random coefficient hierarchical linear model (HLM) to analyze the relations between teacher efficacy beliefs, teacher and school characteristics, three instructional leadership practices, cross-level interactions, and national characteristics. This study found that (1) the efficacy beliefs of lower secondary education teachers significantly varied across schools and countries, and (2) several teacher characteristics, school characteristics, instructional leadership practices, and cross-level interactions had statistically significant relations with the efficacy beliefs of lower secondary education teachers across the twenty-one countries. The most important findings pertain to the relations between the instructional leadership practices and teacher efficacy beliefs as well as the cross-level interactions that included instructional leadership practices as moderators of the relation between teacher collaboration and teacher self-efficacy. The findings from this study add new insight to the study of instructional leadership, support Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory, and corroborate findings from several studies within the literature. Given the significant and positive relations between teacher collaboration and teacher self-efficacy, instructional leadership practices and teacher efficacy beliefs, and instructional leadership practices as a moderator of the relation between teacher collaboration and teacher self-efficacy, this study suggested that national, regional, or local policies should ensure that teacher preparation and professional development programs emphasize teacher collaboration, and administrator preparation and professional development programs focus on the promotion of teacher collaboration and the supervision of teachers. Finally, this study provided suggestions for further research, such as (1) addressing the limitations of the current study, (2) adding a qualitative component, (3) examining current covariates in greater depth as well as introducing new covariates, (4) enlarging the number and diversity of participating countries in future cross-national studies, and (5) improving the quality of indices representing psychological constructs in large-scale international studies (e.g., teacher self-efficacy).
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7573
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship Between Type of Sport Participation, Engagement Behaviors, and Educational Outcomes.
Creator: Rettig, Jean, Hu, Shouping, Eklund, Robert, Tandberg, David, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Student-athletes face numerous obstacles throughout their college experience. Most notably, the time required for athletic participation limits the time that student-athletes can devote to academic activities. Given the benefits associated with a college degree, it is critical that student-athletes achieve the desired educational outcomes. The current study was based on theories of student involvement and college impact and involved multiple regression analysis of secondary data collected...
Show moreStudent-athletes face numerous obstacles throughout their college experience. Most notably, the time required for athletic participation limits the time that student-athletes can devote to academic activities. Given the benefits associated with a college degree, it is critical that student-athletes achieve the desired educational outcomes. The current study was based on theories of student involvement and college impact and involved multiple regression analysis of secondary data collected from the 2009 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Specifically, the main purpose of this study was to examine whether sport type was related to engagement in effective educational practices and desired educational outcomes. The secondary aim was to examine the relationship between engagement levels and educational outcomes for student-athletes in high-profile (i.e., men's and women's basketball, football, and baseball) and low-profile sports (i.e., all other NCAA sponsored sports). Distinction of sport type was based loosely on the ability of the sport to generate revenue as well as the average time devoted to sport-related activities. Regression models were used to estimate the relationship between type of sport participation and engagement behaviors and educational outcomes, as well as the relationship between these two constructs for non-athletes, high-profile student-athletes, and low-profile student-athletes. Collectively, findings from this study illustrate the unique challenges to educational outcomes faced by high-profile student-athletes, while low-profile student-athletes mimic non-athletes in overall college experiences. Differences between high-profile and low-profile student-athletes provide valuable information on how programs and policies can be tailored to meet the specific educational needs of each unique subpopulation of student-athletes. Such information has practical implications for athletic directors, coaches, academic advisors, and other athletic personnel.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7572
Format: Thesis

Title: School Choice & Competition: What Is the Impact on School Leadership?.
Creator: Richardson, Lisa, Rutledge, Stacey, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Irvin, Judith, Iatarola, Patrice, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: School choice reform rests on the notion that competition amongst schools will produce more efficient schools and improve the educational system as a whole. This study focused on the impact of school choice competition on school principals in both magnet schools and traditional public schools in a midsized district in Florida. This study examined how principals in both magnet and traditional schools are making sense of school choice competition. It also examined how school choice competition...
Show moreSchool choice reform rests on the notion that competition amongst schools will produce more efficient schools and improve the educational system as a whole. This study focused on the impact of school choice competition on school principals in both magnet schools and traditional public schools in a midsized district in Florida. This study examined how principals in both magnet and traditional schools are making sense of school choice competition. It also examined how school choice competition impacts the leadership responsibilities of principals in both settings. The research questions for this study are: (1) Given an environment of school choice, how do traditional and magnet middle school principals make sense of the competition generated by choice options?; and (2) How do traditional and magnet school principals see this competition stemming from school choice impacting their leadership responsibilities? All of the principals in this study were very open about the competition they have experienced, particularly for the students with high achievement levels on the state standardized tests. The majority of the competition experienced by the eight case study principals came from schools within the district. All of the case study principals cited the incoming sixth grade class of students as a key source of competition between the interdistrict schools. The interdistrict competition was the strongest between the four magnet schools, followed by competition between magnet and traditional schools and lastly there was nominal competition between the four traditional schools. The reassignment policy in this district was the major source of competition between magnet school principals and traditional school principals. While all four of the traditional school principals suspect the magnet school principals use the reassignment process to acquire the academically talented students to their magnet programs, at least one magnet middle school principal suspects the traditional school principals are using the reassignment policy to gain academically talented students zoned for the magnet schools. The minimal competition between the traditional school principals was fun-loving competition. When interviewing the principals, the perception of all eight principals was that the competition within the district was the fiercest competition they have to contend with as a school leader. Surprisingly, just two of the eight middle school principals in this study considered charter or private schools as a source of competition. This district offers several private and charter school options for middle school families so this finding was unexpected. Whether the competition is interdistrict or from outside of the district, it is certainly considered a strong factor in the school choice environment for the principals in this case study. Marketing and school leadership has been neglected by researchers and needed to be addressed in this increasingly competitive education system. All eight of the principals interviewed for this study acknowledged the competition from the school choice environment has impacted their leadership responsibilities. The impact of school choice competition on the leadership responsibilities of the principals in this study have been concentrated in one area - marketing. Although there was variation amongst the magnet and traditional middle school principals in the reasoning to market their schools, all eight principals were forced to market their schools to prospective parents. The four magnet school principals spent time marketing their schools in order to attract students to their magnet programs. Conversely, the four traditional school principals focused their marketing efforts on retaining their zoned students. In order to market their schools, the eight middle school principals relied on quasi marketing committees. While all of the principals in this case study designed a marketing plan, none of the principals have received formal training on how to create a marketing plan or how to market a school. The principals expressed concern over the amount of time they spent on the added leadership responsibility of marketing. Both traditional and magnet school principals allotted a significant amount of time marketing their schools which takes time away from their other principal responsibilities. Overall, the eight principals in this study understood the added leadership responsibility of marketing as a natural consequence of the competition from school choice. This study contributes to the research on leadership in school choice reform as well as to how competition shapes principals' way of work in the environment of school choice. This study provides implications for policy and practice. I also make suggestions for future research pertaining to this topic. This study contributes to the understanding of school leadership in a choice environment.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7574
Format: Thesis

Title: Content Analysis of the Practicum Course in the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/Administration Program.
Creator: Norman, Scott W., Irvin, Judith L., Brummel-Smith, Kenneth, Rutledge, Stacey, Turner, Jeannine, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In this study, I explored the overall efficacy of the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/ Administration (MSEL/A) program at Florida State University (FSU), by taking a closer look at the introductory course, Practicum in Educational Leadership (the Practicum), as well as the final assessment, the student e-portfolio. The MSEL/A at FSU is an educational leadership program intended to prepare students to take and pass the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and to become school...
Show moreIn this study, I explored the overall efficacy of the Master of Science in Educational Leadership/ Administration (MSEL/A) program at Florida State University (FSU), by taking a closer look at the introductory course, Practicum in Educational Leadership (the Practicum), as well as the final assessment, the student e-portfolio. The MSEL/A at FSU is an educational leadership program intended to prepare students to take and pass the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and to become school administrators in the Florida public education system. Since 2004, the program has undergone change, first becoming a blended or hybrid program, then moving completely online in 2007. The Practicum is the first course taken in the overall MSEL/A program and is made up of several components, including the Discussion Board, the Leadership Development Plan, FELE preparation, and the Mentor Journals. Overall student achievement is evidenced by the collected works found in the online portfolio at the end of the program. The practicum course, as is the overall MSEL/A program, is a fully integrated on-line course using Blackboard for group discussion postings and assignment submissions. Other than a pre-semester on-campus orientation, students interact with each other and the instructor fully at a distance using internet and/or phone. This study included a content analysis using a mixed methods approach. Surveys and interviews were used for a more in-depth analysis of content. Descriptive statistics were used to collect demographic data.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-7531
Format: Thesis

Title: Achieving the Dream: An Assessment of Participant Institutions' Performance Using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Creator: Luczyk, Sarah, Wetherell, T. K., Rice, Diana, Schwartz, Robert A., Beckham, Joseph, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In recent years, the United States of America has fallen in international rankings regarding completion of degrees (ATD, 2011c). "The U.S. has fallen in international education rankings. In one single generation, America went from 1st to 12th in college completion rates for young adults" (ATD, 2011c). Community colleges specifically struggle with assisting students in degree attainment; less than half of community college degree-seeking students graduate within six years of matriculation (ATD...
Show moreIn recent years, the United States of America has fallen in international rankings regarding completion of degrees (ATD, 2011c). "The U.S. has fallen in international education rankings. In one single generation, America went from 1st to 12th in college completion rates for young adults" (ATD, 2011c). Community colleges specifically struggle with assisting students in degree attainment; less than half of community college degree-seeking students graduate within six years of matriculation (ATD, 2011d). Community colleges are in need of interventions that will help them increase the number of students who are retained, who transfer to four-year colleges and who graduate; essentially, they must increase student success. Achieving the DreamTM seeks to assist community colleges in increasing their student success through four primary areas: institutional change, impacting public policy, engaging the public and developing knowledge on campuses. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any difference in the graduation, retention and transfer rates of the community colleges that participate in Achieving the Dream and of those who did not, during the 2004-2007 time period. This study used Propensity Score Matching and independent t-tests to compare participants' performance with that of non-participants. Additionally, multiple regression was used to verify the results. The only statistically significant result was graduation rates in the multiple regression model. Graduation rates were 4.23% lower at Achieving the Dream schools than non-Achieving the Dream schools. The conclusion of this study is that Achieving the Dream schools were not able to reach the goals articulated by Achieving the Dream, but additional research is necessary to answer why.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5005
Format: Thesis

Title: Court Intervention and Institutional Reform: The Bobby M. Case and Its Impact on Juvenile Justice Education in Florida.
Creator: Pesta, George, Milton, Sande, Blomberg, Thomas, Iatarola, Patrice, Bales, William, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: For more than 50 years, federal courts have intervened in both the correctional and educational fields on such issues as prison conditions, due process, school integration, and free and appropriate rights to education. However, researchers have debated the effectiveness of courts to produce institutional reform in corrections and education. Further, few studies have been conducted that identify the specific conditions necessary to produce institutional reform. This dissertation is a policy...
Show moreFor more than 50 years, federal courts have intervened in both the correctional and educational fields on such issues as prison conditions, due process, school integration, and free and appropriate rights to education. However, researchers have debated the effectiveness of courts to produce institutional reform in corrections and education. Further, few studies have been conducted that identify the specific conditions necessary to produce institutional reform. This dissertation is a policy and historical study of court intervention and successful institutional reform. Specifically, the dissertation is concerned with juvenile justice education reform, court intervention, and policy implementation. The education of incarcerated youth has historically been a neglected area, both in terms of its perceived value as a social service or rehabilitative factor and because it has largely been ignored by the scientific community. And unlike other special populations, juvenile justice youth have few advocates, having largely been viewed as a disposable population. This dissertation describes a class-action lawsuit referred to as Bobby M. v Florida and the court's efforts to intervene and reform the field of juvenile justice education. To that extent, this study aims to describe the conditions and major activities that led to successful policy implementation and institutional reform throughout Florida's juvenile justice education system. The study treats court intervention as a triggering event or catalyst in institutional reform, but also considers other post-litigation factors such as legislative response, accountability mechanisms, and the sustainability of the reform movement when determining the conditions and factors that led to successful and significant institutional reform. The paper concludes with theoretical and policy implications, contributing to court intervention and policy implementation literature by describing the conditions, impediments, and outcomes of successful institutional reform through court intervention.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5108
Format: Thesis

Title: Examining Two Doors to the Community College Presidency: Can Certain Departing President and Trustee Characteristics Predict Who New Community College Presidents Will Be?.
Creator: Rush, Rochelle, Hu, Shouping, Pfeiffer, Steven, Jones, Tamara Bertrand, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Previous research studies explain how the presidential selection process at community colleges works and identify competencies that community college trustees look for in community college presidential candidates. However, few scholars have empirically tested specific features of community colleges that may impact which individuals are chosen to fill presidential vacancies. The purpose of this study was to examine whether certain departing president and community college trustee board...
Show morePrevious research studies explain how the presidential selection process at community colleges works and identify competencies that community college trustees look for in community college presidential candidates. However, few scholars have empirically tested specific features of community colleges that may impact which individuals are chosen to fill presidential vacancies. The purpose of this study was to examine whether certain departing president and community college trustee board characteristics influence the type of president that is selected at a community college. The samples for this quantitative study were North Carolina's 58 community colleges, and 740 trustees who have served or who are serving at those colleges. Cross tabulations and one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and regression analyses revealed that departing presidents and board chairs significantly influence presidential selection at community colleges. These analyses also determined that female presidential candidates are not more likely to be selected at community colleges that have female board chairs and departing presidents, but individuals who are non-Whites and/or internal candidates are more likely to be hired at institutions with a non-White board chair, female departing president, and/or non-White departing president. The study also found that females, non-Whites, and internal candidates have a greater chance of being hired as presidents at smaller community colleges. The study's findings have implications for aspiring community college presidents, community college leadership degree program faculty, individuals who train trustees participating in presidential selection processes, and state-level officials who appoint community college trustees.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5152
Format: Thesis

Title: From East to West: A Phenomenological Study of Indonesian Graduate Students' Experiences on the Acculturation Process at an American Public Research University.
Creator: Mukminin, Amirul, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, McDowell, Stephen D., Rutledge, Stacey, Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this inquiry was to describe and understand the lived experiences of the acculturative process of the Indonesian graduate students at an American public university. The primary focus here was on better understanding how some events or changes become sources of difficulties, problems, or culture shock in Indonesian graduate students' lives. The purpose of this study could be depicted in three ways: (1) to describe the lived experiences of Indonesian graduate students in relation...
Show moreThe purpose of this inquiry was to describe and understand the lived experiences of the acculturative process of the Indonesian graduate students at an American public university. The primary focus here was on better understanding how some events or changes become sources of difficulties, problems, or culture shock in Indonesian graduate students' lives. The purpose of this study could be depicted in three ways: (1) to describe the lived experiences of Indonesian graduate students in relation to their academic matters and social relations during their acculturative process during the first term and over time at their institution, (2) to understand or to explore the major sources of acculturative problems or the causes of cultural shock leading to acculturative stress experienced by Indonesian graduate students, and (3) to understand how Indonesian graduate students have dealt with those acculturative problems or stressors and what the acculturative strategies that they have used to cope with acculturative problems or stressors with respect to academic matters and social relations at the first term and over time at their institutions. The theoretical frameworks of Oberg's (1960) culture shock model and Berry's (1987, 2006) acculturation stress model were used to guide this study. Data for this study were collected through a demographic background survey, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with thirteen Indonesian graduate students. The demographic data were analyzed descriptively. The interviews and focus groups data were analyzed by using within-case and cross-case displays and analyses (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Four salient themes with their sub-themes to emerge were: academic shock, adjustment, crisis, and resolution. Implications and strategies for professionals and scholars who work with international students in practice, education and policy are discussed. In addition, strategies to promote Indonesian graduate students' academic and social success in graduate programs are included. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-5056
Format: Thesis

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