Browsing by Author "Driscoll, Lisa G."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 39
  • Thumbnail Image
    An Analysis of Random Student Drug Testing Policies and Patterns of Practice In Virginia Public Schools
    Lineburg, Mark Young (Virginia Tech, 2005-02-11)
    There were two purposes to this study. First, the study was designed to determine which Virginia public school districts have articulated policies that govern random drug testing of students and if school districts' policies aligned with U.S. Supreme Court standards and Virginia statutes. The second purpose was to ascertain the patterns of practice in selected Virginia school districts that currently conduct random drug testing of students. This included identifying which student groups were being tested and for which drugs. It was also of interest to learn how school districts monitor the testing program and if drug testing practices were aligned with the policies that govern them. Data were gathered by examining student handbooks and district policies in order to determine which school districts had drug testing policies. These policies then were analyzed using a legal framework constructed from U.S. Supreme Court standards that have emerged from case law governing search and seizure in schools. Finally, data on patterns of practice were collected through in-depth interviewing and observation of those individuals responsible for implementing student drug testing in those districts that have such programs. The analyses revealed that the current policies and patterns of practice in random drug testing programs in Virginia public schools comply with Supreme Court standards and state statutes. Student groups subject to testing in Virginia public schools include student athletes and students in extracurricular activities in grades eight through twelve. Monitoring systems in the school districts implementing random drug testing were not consistent. There is evidence that the school districts implementing random drug testing programs have strong community support for the program.
  • Thumbnail Image
    At the Intersection of Political Culture and the Policy Process: an Evolution of the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System Through the Tennessee Legislature
    Grounard, Daniel J. (Virginia Tech, 2006-05-12)
    This grounded theory retrospective case study examined whether the development of the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) supported Lasswell's (1951) policy process framework and the ecological adaptation of Marshall, Mitchell and Wirt's policy actors model. The study was a retrospective case study employing semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, and archival records. The following research questions guided the study: Did the policy process evolve linearly as in Lasswell's theoretical model? If it was different, how? With respect to Marshall, Mitchell, and Wirt's ecological model of policy actor behavior, how was this theory consistent with the evidence from this case study? How did the political culture affect the policy process? How did the selected participants interpret their roles in the different policy stages? What issues developed during the stages of the policy process? How has the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System as a codified policy changed? The study concluded that the policy process evolved linearly, but took multiple cycles. The Small School Lawsuit precipitated events that suggest features of Punctuated Equilibrium and Multiple Streams theories during the agenda setting stage. The Advocacy Coalition Framework theory underscored many of the events that occurred in later stages. Policy actor behavior changed relative to actor proximity to the inner circle. The traditionalistic policy culture of Tennessee influenced the policy process largely through the elite's inclusion of the TVAAS policy in the omnibus Education Improvement Act (EIA) Bill. The interviewee/participant's roles during the policy process varied at the different policy process stages. Several issues (superintendent elections, teacher evaluation) with the omnibus EIA bill emerged during the policy process that threatened its passage; however, the bill passed due to the initial urgency of fiscal litigation concerns. Since its passage, TVAAS as a codified policy has not experienced any significant changes, except No Child Left Behind has necessitated changes to the types of assessments and indicators. This study may be very useful to policy analyses and policy-makers interested in state level policymaking.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Benefits of Student Certification: A Study of Automotive Service Managers
    Church, W. Mark (Virginia Tech, 2007-02-06)
    Virginia and other states recognize the need for a technically trained workforce and have implemented directives that promote student credentialing. Certifications and other forms of credentialing are used to prove that the recipient has met a predetermined level of competence or mastery of a skill or subject. This study looks specifically at the automotive industry's Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. The primary research question is: Is there a perceived benefit of ASE certification? In addition, two subset questions are explored. The first subset question is (1) Does the ASE certification provide benefits to the employers? And second, (2) do the employers see a benefit of ASE certification to the technicians as compared to those without credentials? This study attempts to answer these questions by polling Virginia automobile service managers regarding their perceptions of the benefits of ASE certification. A sample of 130 dealership service managers was selected at random from the 2006 Virginia Automobile Dealer Association (VADA) Membership Directory. The VADA has 602 franchised dealerships within the Commonwealth of Virginia. A corresponding sample of 130 independent service managers was selected by matching the zip codes of chosen dealerships with an internet phone directory search. The dealership service manager group had four surveys returned as undeliverable or the dealership was out of business. This leaves them with 126 potential participants. The independent service manager group had seven surveys returned as undeliverable or the service center was no longer in business. This leaves them with 123 potential participants. One hundred seventy-eight surveys were returned giving a 71% overall return rate. Automotive technicians are employed at either dealerships or independent service centers. It is hypothesized that the perceptions of ASE certification benefits by the two groups are significantly different from each other. A t test was conducted regarding the difference between the unweighted composite mean scores of dealership service managers and independent service managers regarding both benefits to the employers and again regarding benefits to the technicians. The tests support the hypothesis that there was a significant difference between the perceptions of the two groups. The study concludes that these groups perceive there are moderate benefits to the employer and moderate benefits to the technician; however, the dealership and independent service managers differ in their level of agreement in both categories. Dealership service managers agreed more than independent service managers that there were benefits.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Bilateral Art: An Integration of Marriage and Family Therapy, Art Therapy, and Neuroscience
    McNamee, Carole M. (Virginia Tech, 2004-02-02)
    Bilateral art is a neurologically-based therapeutic intervention that engages both dominant and non-dominant hands in the creation of images in response to polarized beliefs, cognitions, or feelings. Advances in neuroscience that integrate attachment theory and experience with neuronal development argue for use of the intervention. Retrospective case studies using enhancements of the bilateral art intervention protocol for individuals support these arguments. These case studies demonstrate clinical application of the intervention to a range of presenting problems including differentiation from family of origin, parenting problems, loss, trauma, and self-esteem concerns and provide the first documented evidence of the effectiveness of the bilateral art intervention. Additional case studies reflect development of two different bilateral art intervention protocols that facilitate exploration of relationships. The first protocol adapts the use of bilateral art with individuals to use with couples and it has a dual purpose: to facilitate both openness and integration of polarized thoughts or feelings in one member of a couple and to increase empathy in the other. The second protocol facilitates exploration of and reflection upon a relationship and is applied in the case study to the supervisor-supervisee dyad that is an integral part of the training of marriage and family therapists. Experiences reveal possible contraindications as well as indications for the use of these protocols.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Challenges Of Studying Attributes Associated With African American Males Who Are Not Successful With Testing Measures
    McGinnis, Marvin Harris (Virginia Tech, 2002-09-20)
    African Americans continue to perform significantly lower on high-stakes measures of educational achievement than do other ethnic groups. Osborn (1997) attributes this low performance by African Americans to their disidentification with the academic discourse. Ickes and Layden (1976), Metalsky, Abramson, and Peterson (1982), Finn (1989), and Belgrave, Johnson, and Carey (1992) relate the poor performance of African Americans to the manner in which they internalize/externalize negative and positive outcomes and the longevity of such outcomes being internalized, which they term locus of control. This study explores the variables of self-esteem, locus of control, test anxiety, reading ability, testing behaviors and the performance of African American males on high-stakes tests of educational achievement. Simultaneously, the study provides a reflection on the challenges faced by a practitioner when he studies an issue of critical concern in his own community.
  • Thumbnail Image
    College Bound: Are High Schools Preparing Students for the Task
    Sokol, Gerry Robert (Virginia Tech, 2000-06-07)
    The number of college freshmen enrolled in developmental courses is an indicator that many American high school graduates are not adequately prepared for college. Research has indicated that from 30% to 69% of high school graduates who entered college are required to take at least one developmental course. The purpose of this study was to examine the high school experiences of freshmen college students, specifically, the roles their high school teachers, high school guidance counselors, the parents, and they themselves played in preparing them for college. Data were analyzed to explore differences by race (majority v. minority), gender and type of English class (regular v. developmental). The participants were freshmen students enrolled in college developmental English and general English courses at one community college and one four year college. In order to answer the research questions presented in this study, participants completed a 60-item questionnaire. Fifteen items addressed areas that the research questions investigated (i.e. role of high school teachers, guidance counselors, parents, self). The research questions were examined through a series of analysis of variance tests. Results revealed significant differences by race, gender, type of class and interactions between the effects. The data provide the basis for making recommendations to high school administrators and local school boards which, when implemented will better prepare high school students for the academic rigors of college courses.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Comparing and Contrasting Local School Board Policies That Govern Access to Public School Programs and Activities by Home Schooled Students in Virginia
    Rowland, B. Keith (Virginia Tech, 2005-04-08)
    The primary guiding question proposed for this study is, what are the variations and commonalities in policies among the 132 school districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia that govern whether or not students who are educated at home have access to public school courses and extra-curricular activities? In order to obtain this information the study was conducted of two phases. The first phase consisted of a policy analysis in order to determine the scope and nature of home school policies across Virginia's 132 operational school districts, and whether they fall within the legal parameters established by state regulations and case law. The second phase involved ascertaining how school officials perceived local control of home schoolers' access to public school classes or extracurricular activities through a multiple case study. This phase involved interviewing the person designated to implement these policies from selected school districts. The intent was that the data analysis would provide the basis for recommending changes or perhaps no changes, in the state's role in governing home school access.
  • Thumbnail Image
    The Effects of Gender Grouping and Learning Style on Student Curiosity in Modular Technology Education Laboratories
    Draper, Sonya R. (Virginia Tech, 2004-09-15)
    This study investigated whether in a modular technology education (MTE) classroom, gender groupings and learning styles predicted degree of curiosity. Based on the assumption that gender grouping and learning style are factors that influence the degree of curiosity of both individuals and teams, it was hypothesized that a student's learning style (i.e., Accommodating, Converging, Diverging, and Assimilating) and gender grouping (girl/girl, boy/boy, and girl/boy) at the module would be essential elements to consider when measuring the degree of curiosity of learners in MTE classrooms. During a meeting with the deputy superintendent and the technology education supervisor in a mid-sized, suburban public school district in Virginia, three MTE teachers from different schools were identified to participate in this study in the spring of 2004. The sample for this study consisted of middle school students (n = 116; 22 girls and 94 boys, grades 6-8) enrolled in technology education classes using Synergistic SystemsTM modules. Students completed three consecutive MTE activities. This study was conducted in the technology education classroom in three different middle schools. Schools were classified as School A, B or C. Students selected technology education as an elective subject. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI), Version 3 was used to identify students' preferred learning style. The My Point of View (MyPOV) instrument adapted by Brusic and based on Leherissey's instrument, the State Epistemic Curiosity Scale (SECS), was used to measure individual degree of curiosity. The MyPOV instrument was administered three times; once after each module. Data was analyzed using a multiple linear regression analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that boys (81%; n = 94) continue to outnumber girls (19%; n = 22) in technology education classrooms. Participants (n = 101) preferred the following learning styles as identified by the LSI: Accommodating (35%), learning from "hands-on" experience, followed by Diverging (25%), preferring to brainstorm ideas, Assimilating (24%), interested in abstract ideas and concepts, and Converging (17%), rather deal with technical tasks and problems. Mean curiosity scores for students were analyzed by school. Results revealed scores from School B were lower than students at Schools A and C as measured by the MyPOV instrument. Mean curiosity scores for students were also analyzed by gender, learning style, and gender grouping. Statistics revealed that scores for girls were higher than boys. An independent-samples t-test was done to evaluate the difference between the means of the genders. According to the analyses, the tests were not significant, t(108) = .932, p = .353 (Score 1), t(110) = 1.282, p = .202 (Score 2), and t(104) = 1.564, p = .121 (Score 3). Overall scores for girl/girl groupings were higher than girl/boy and boy/boy groupings, and scores for girl/boy groupings were higher than boy/boy groupings. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate whether the gender grouping means differed significantly from each other. According to the analyses, the F-tests revealed no significant differences in gender groupings, F(2, 97) = 1.65, p = .198 (Score 1), F(2, 95) = .50, p = .608 (Score 2), and F(2, 92) = 1.84, p = .165 (Score 3). Additionally, curiosity scores for students by learning styles showed that participants that preferred to deal with technical tasks and problems or Converging had the highest scores followed by Assimilating, Accommodating and Diverging. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to test if there was a significant relationship between the pairing of students of different gender groupings and different learning styles in the prediction of degree of curiosity. The F-tests revealed that the linear combination of gender groupings and learning styles for the three schools were not significantly related to degree of curiosity, R2 = .09, adjusted R2 = .04, F(5, 86) = 1.65, p = .155 (Score 1), R2 = .09, adjusted R2 = .04, F(4, 79) = 1.84 , p = .130 (Score 2), and R2 = .02, adjusted R2 = -.03, F(4, 73) = .382, p = .821 (Score 3). The t-tests analyses indicated that the Converging learning style, t(79) = 2.06, p =.043, in Score 2 was the only significant predictor variable with this sample. Although it seems that learning style and gender grouping might predict degree of curiosity in MTE laboratories, this assumption was not supported by this study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Elderly Voter Attitudes toward Public Education Funding in a Rural County: A Qualitative Study
    Campbell, Sarah Talton (Virginia Tech, 2007-03-14)
    The demography of the United States is in the midst of an unprecedented transition that will result in persons age 65 and over outnumbering children by the year 2030 (MacManus, 1995). This demographic shift has the potential to give elderly voters significant influence over public education funding (Poterba, 1997). The purpose of this study was to describe the phenomenon of elderly voter attitudes toward public education funding in a rural county. By engaging elderly voters in dialogue that captured the essence of their lived experiences in school and in the community, valuable information related to how those experiences had nurtured community loyalty or fostered rational self-interest was obtained. A phenomenological approach rooted in the tenets of narrative analysis was used as the framework for the research design in this study. The setting was a rural county in a mid-Atlantic state. Ten volunteers were solicited from among typical elderly voters in the county. Data were collected from personal interviews, field notes, interview notes and reflexive notes. Constant-comparative analysis was conducted in accordance with a three-iteration strategy to develop within and across-case analyses. Code-mapping was used to develop a visible audit trail. Personal narratives based on information obtained from the four data sources were written for each participant. The themes that resulted from an analysis of each narrative across all cases were applied to the economic theories of community loyalty and rational self-interest. The application of the emergent themes relative to each theory led to the conclusion that the lived experiences of the ten participants in school and in the community had impacted their attitudes toward public education funding. The identification of these experiences has implications for local education policy makers as they engage in strategic planning initiatives.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluation Measures: Do They Measure the Special Education Administrator's Roles and Responsibilities by Which They Are Held Accountable under NCLB and IDEA 2004
    Smith, Sandra F. (Virginia Tech, 2007-04-26)
    Special education is a field inherent with compliance and accountability issues. Special Education Administrators are tasked with the responsibility of implementing programs and maintaining compliance with state and federal standards while ensuring high quality educational performance. This research examined how the current Special Education Administrators are being held accountable under NCLB and IDEA. In addition, the previous roles and responsibilities of Special Education Administrator were reviewed in order to provide background information and to provide insight into Special Education Administrators' perceptions of key responsibilities under NCLB and IDEA 2004. The guiding questions for this study are: (1) What do Special Education Administrators perceive as their role and responsibilities under NCLB and IDEA 2004? (2) Do Special Education Administrators perceive their evaluation tool as an adequate measure of the current roles and responsibilities by which they are held accountable under NCLB and IDEA 2004? (3) Does the criteria by which Special Education Administrators are evaluated reflect what the research supports as those components related to roles and responsibilities under NCLB and IDEA 2004? The research design included quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. The population for this study was stratified sample of 30 Special Education Administrators for the Commonwealth of Virginia. An online survey was utilized to conduct the initial research. In addition, in-depth interviews of special education administrators were conducted in order to gain a better understanding of how they are currently being held accountable. Research revealed that Special Education Administrators perceive they are currently being held accountable under NCLB and IDEA; though research concludes that current performance evaluation methodology does not measure the professional standards, including the roles and responsibilities of the Special Education Administrator. The conclusions of this study emphasize the importance of examining the performance evaluation procedures for Special Education Administrators in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Exploring the Teaching Practices of Educators Working in Inclusive Instructional Settings with Students with Learning Disabilities
    Myers-Daub, Roni (Virginia Tech, 2003-11-20)
    Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997 set higher standards for the education of students with disabilities. In addition, to the original purposes of the law that ensured a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE), amendments mandated that students with disabilities be included in state accountability and assessment systems, moving educators from an age of accessibility to an age of accountability. This legislation also ensured that students with disabilities have access to the general curriculum to the maximum extent appropriate, which has influenced educators toward including more students with disabilities in the general education environment. With the increasing numbers of students with learning disabilities (LD) educated in the general education environment, educators face the challenge of providing these students opportunities to access the general curriculum, while ensuring that they receive FAPE. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the teaching practices of special and general educators in the planning, instruction, classroom management, progress monitoring, clinical assistance, and caring of students with LD in inclusive instructional settings to examine how they are aligning their practices to ensure FAPE for these students. Data were collected through a qualitative design, using focus group methodology. A total of 3 special educator and 3 general educator focus groups were conducted for data collection. Major findings that emerged included (a) the absence of common planning time, (b) the use of whole group instruction rather specialized instruction, (c) the unshared responsibility of classroom management, (d) the limited time dedicated to monitoring the learning and academic progress of students with LD, (e) the controversy surrounding adjusting instruction for students with LD, and (f) the importance of teachers showing students with LD that they care about them and their success. Data revealed that the practices of special and general educators align only in the areas of classroom management, particularly in providing classroom routines, and caring. In all other areas, not only do their practices not align, emphasis placed on each area varies within and between special and general educator focus groups.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Factors Influencing Enrollment in Virginia's Protestant Christian Schools
    Shelton, Janice R. (Virginia Tech, 2001-10-25)
    Protestant Christian schools have become a noticeable educational entity. The factors influencing parents to enroll their children in these schools are of interest to the Protestant Christian schools themselves and to the public and nonpublic sectors. A study examining enrollment in Virginia's Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) schools indicates that certain factors that tend to lead parents to initially enroll their children in Protestant Christian schools and then to maintain enrollment in Protestant Christian schools. The study also gives a demographic landscape of the principals and parents who are part of ACSI in Virginia. Parents cite certain factors as being specifically important as they initially enroll. When they re-enroll their children in Protestant Christian schools, those factors may remain constant or change. This study looks at the reasons parents state as the initial factors leading them to place their children in Protestant Christian schools and the factors that lead them to continue to enroll their children in Protestant Christian schools. The study also includes perceptions of principals of Protestant Christian Schools of reasons parents enroll their children in these schools. From their experience and position, principals can offer their perspectives of why families enroll their children in Christian schools and keep their children enrolled in the Protestant Christian schools. Parents and principals were asked to rank what they perceived to be the top five factors leading to enrollment of students in Protestant Christian schools. Ranking the various factors isolated the most prevalent factors determining parents' decisions. Isolating the most-often chosen of the various factors aids the Protestant Christian, other nonpublic, and public schools better to evaluate how each attracts, maintains, and services their respective clientele
  • Thumbnail Image
    High School Dropout Experiences: A Social Capital Perspective
    Drewry, Julie Anne (Virginia Tech, 2007-02-12)
    The purpose of this study was to record and analyze students' experiences with dropping out of high school within a social capital framework. Discussing the stories of high school dropouts provided valuable information related to the root causes of dropout behaviors in a social capital context. This information can be used to develop programs designed to increase social capital in schools, families, and communities, which can contribute to a decrease in dropout behaviors. This phenomenological study took a narratological research approach that focused on collecting the lived experiences of high school dropouts within a social capital framework. The context of this study was a high school in an urban school division in Southwestern Virginia. The participants were five high school dropouts who speak English as a primary language and were a part of the general education population at the high school. Triangulation of data sources included field notes, interviews with the participants, and archival documents. A three-iteration code mapping procedure was used for data analysis to provide an audit trail. Narrative descriptions of the life histories of each participant were written. The overarching themes resulting from the analysis across the narratives were that none of the students had relationships with members of their families or communities who had the capacity to assist them in their endeavors to complete school; students had the desire to complete school or obtain a GED, but did not have a relationship with any person outside of the school setting who was persistent with encouragement and knowledge; and the students had access to social capital, but did not understand how to use it effectively. Results and conclusions are included in two articles, one written for publication in Sociology of Education, and the other written for publication in Professional School Counseling.
  • Thumbnail Image
    An Historical Analysis of the Development of Charter School Legislation in Virginia
    Arbogast, Terry E. (Virginia Tech, 2000-03-31)
    Understanding the evolution of charter school legislation and the expectations of legislators adopting this legislation is important to school boards and school administrators in Virginia. The purpose of this research project was to delineate the historical development of charter school legislation in Virginia. A non-emergent research design was used with two steps of data collection. The first step was a review of all charter school legislation, which covered the General Assembly Sessions 1994-2000, and the second step was a series of open-ended interviews with legislators and others who participated in the charter school legislative development. This study addressed the following research questions: 1. What changes did charter school legislation undergo before members of the Virginia General Assembly finally approved it for implementation? 2. What were the expectations of the legislators who sponsored charter school legislation? 3. What, if anything, either internal or external to the Virginia General Assembly, influenced the presenters of charter school legislation? 4. Did the enacted legislation that was adopted meet the expectations of the legislator who initiated charter school legislation? 5. Are legislators and others satisfied with the current status of charter school development in Virginia? Charter school legislative bills and related amendments from 1994 to 2000 were analyzed. Purposive and snowball sampling identified certain legislators as primary respondents, who were interviewed. After the interviews, the data were transcribed and analyzed using QSR NUD·IST. A total of eight interviews were conducted, and all respondents gave permission to record the interviews. Six themes emerged from the interviews. These themes are 1) Partisan Politics, 2) Local Autonomy, 3) Accountability, 4) Choice, 5) Funding, and 6) Opposition. Charter school legislation is unique to each state. Also, one delegate individually championed charter school legislation in Virginia. There were some external influences (outside the Virginia General Assembly) opposing charter school legislation; primarily the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA), and the Virginia Education Association (VEA). Equally important, partisan politics and the opposition of the Black Caucus in the General Assembly were the two strongest internal factors in defeating early attempts at charter school passage. All interviewees reported being satisfied with the outcome of charter school legislation; however, several legislators indicated dissatisfaction with the apparent slow pace of school boards in each locality of holding public hearings to determine whether they will accept charter school applications. Additionally, accountability based upon student results, an alternative schooling opportunity for public school students, and a lottery method for student selection were important charter school characteristics for adoption.
  • Thumbnail Image
    A History of the Literary Fund as a Funding Source for Free Public Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia
    Mullins, Foney G. (Virginia Tech, 2001-04-18)
    The purpose of this study was to present an historical analysis of the function of the Literary Fund of Virginia as it pertained to public school funding. The major questions central to this study were: (a) How has the Literary Fund addressed the funding needs of the Virginia public schools? (b) What significant changes have occurred in the apportionment of Literary Fund revenue? and (c) What are the future trends of the Literary Fund? The political and social circumstances that prevailed in Virginia, prior to this funding initiative, were examined to determine what effects they had on its development. Primary documents also were examined to ascertain pertinent information for completion of this study. These included: House and Senate Journals; The Acts of the General Assembly; Virginia School Reports; Virginia Second Auditor Reports of the Literary Fund; Annual Reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and the Code of Virginia. Secondary sources were used to provide background information about the historical events that helped shape the development and perpetuation of the Literary Fund. Various government officials and a former Superintendent of Public Instruction were interviewed through use of a protocol. The purpose of these interviews was to gain insight on the likely future of the Literary Fund. Their answers to questions were analyzed to determine if consistent themes could be identified. These interviews, along with historical data collected, were examined in order to provide recommendations for future consideration by the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the use of Literary Fund revenue.
  • Thumbnail Image
    An Illustration of the Work Lives of Experienced Teachers of Students with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders at the Middle School Level
    Myers, Susan T. (Virginia Tech, 2004-04-20)
    The purpose of this qualitative study is to illustrate how experienced teachers of students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EB/D) working in middle school settings conduct their work. In the current context of public education, the work of teaching students with EB/D is considered stressful and undesirable by many individuals and has resulted in a shortage of adequately prepared and experienced special educators willing to teach this vulnerable population (Westat, 2002). In response to the shortage, school districts may resort to hiring improperly prepared individuals-- a practice that impedes the provision of an appropriate education to students with disabilities (Kauffman, 2001; Turnbull & Turnbull; 1998). In order to understand the work of those special educators who have remained in the field of teaching students with EB/D, this exploratory case study examined the work of four experienced special education teachers teaching students with EB/D in various instructional settings in middle schools in Virginia. Activity theory (Engeström, 1999) provided the conceptual framework in this study. The results of this study support the current research literature on the work of teaching students with EB/D. The teachers spent their workday (a) supporting their students’ progress in the general education curriculum, (b) developing their students’ prosocial skills, and (c) fulfilling multiple non-teaching related duties. Efforts to teach their students were impeded by (a) difficulties in working relationships with certain general education teachers and (b) meeting the complex responsibilities of being a special educator in the current context of public middle schools.
  • Thumbnail Image
    An Investigation Into Factors That May Contribute to School Violence in Male High Schools in Kuwait
    Al-Husaini, Meshari (Virginia Tech, 2004-04-22)
    This study examined the relationship between social affiliation and school violence among male public high school students in Kuwait. Specifically, this study investigated the violent behavior characteristics of tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait and the relationship between family structure, family type, and student age of those students and school violence. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to test the first null hypothesis: there are no significant differences in mean subscale scores between the four characteristics of violent behavior and the social affiliation of male public high school students in Kuwait. Multiple linear regression was used to develop a predictive linear model for the relationship between violence and household size, family structure, and student age among tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait. Six hundred male public high school students were given the Aggression Questionnaire which consisted of four subscales: physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. Tribal participants reported more violent behavior characteristics than non-tribal participants. These results supported previous research regarding a relationship between culture and school violence. The results supported those studies that had previously found a significant relationship between student age and the prediction of school violence as indicated by the Aggression Questionnaire (Al Dokhy's;2003). However, the findings indicated that family structure and family size were not significant predictors of violent behavior for the study sample. A linear regression model for predicting scores for violent behaviors of male public high school students in Kuwait was proposed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Latino\a Ethnic Identity in the New Diaspora: Perspectives of a Select Group of Latino\a Undergraduates at a Predominantly White Land Grant University
    Larroy, Edwin A. (Virginia Tech, 2005-06-17)
    The increasing presence of "Latinos" in higher education presents a challenge to the academy, particularly in understanding their adjustment to the college environment (Umana-Taylor, Diversi & Fine, 2002). This study investigates how ethnically diverse "Latino\a" undergraduates construct and affirm ethnic identity. The findings suggest that a "Latino\a" pan-ethnicity is problematic because of the diversity of national origins, family histories, linguistic preferences, and cultural traditions that exists among the different nationalities that comprise this ethnic group. Unlike previous generations of immigrants, new diaspora "Latinos" seek integration into American society as bilinguals with linguistic command for both Spanish and English and resist abandonment of national identities and culture. These are suggestive of transnational identities that are multiple and adaptive to a variety of contexts and situations; rather than being fixed and constant.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Leadership Practices of Women Superintendents: A Qualitative Study
    du Plessis, Sarah Browning (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-27)
    The purpose of this study was to describe the leadership practices of women superintendents of public school divisions. The researcher interviewed eight women superintendents in the Commonwealth of Virginia examining the participants' self-perceived leadership practices and their reflections of these practices. Data collection occurred through use of interviews, member checks, field notes, a reflexive journal and completion of the Leadership Practices Inventory-SELF. Descriptive accounts of the women's leadership practices in the context of their professional lived experiences and within the framework of transformational leadership theory are presented in a narrative format. Findings and conclusions, were determined by analyzing the collected data, the research question and the review of literature. The findings produced eight leadership practices: 1) use consistent and accurate communication with all stakeholders, 2) be visible, 3) use limited delegation, 4) be collaborative, 5) remain poised, 6) accept personal sacrifice of time and family, 7) exhibit confident, and 8) self-educate, be a quick learner. The findings concluded that women described their leadership practices as relationship building practices and practices incorporating issues of gender and silencing. An implication for future research included discussion for a study which would go beyond the self-described leadership practices of the women superintendents and examine how their leadership practices are implemented and perceived by stakeholders and employees. Data from these direct observations may offer further, detailed insights as to how the described leadership practices of this study are practiced, implemented and perceived by others.
  • Thumbnail Image
    The Local Composite Index: A Critical Analysis
    Driscoll, Lisa G. (Virginia Tech, 1998-06-25)
    The purpose of this study was to develop an explanation for the volatile behavior of the Local Composite Index, Virginia's measure of public school division fiscal capacity. This study documented and analyzed the behavior of the mathematical and structural components of the current formula over the period inclusive of Biennia 1984-86 through 1996-98. It was implemented in five phases: 1. Literature Review. Literature related to public school division fiscal capacity was reviewed: a) To identify normative and procedural concepts important to the philosophical development of fiscal capacity. b) To delineate the various models used across the United States in the determination of public school fiscal capacity. c) To examine components of indices, their application, and criteria for evaluating their behavior. 2. Local Composite Index Review. Information was collected from various sources regarding the Local Composite Index and its components for all school divisions in the Commonwealth. 3. Database Development. A relational database was developed to facilitate exploratory trend analyses of the LCI and its components. 4. Analysis. An identification and analysis of three trends was selected, defined, and undertaken: a) Biennial Change Rate of the Indicators, Local and State b) Biennial Change Rate of the Standardized Indicators, Local and State c) Net Biennial Change Rate of the Local to State Ratio for the Standardized Indicators 5. Case Studies. Five case studies of public school divisions and the Commonwealth of Virginia were performed to provide an in-depth and quantitative analysis of the interaction of the various component trends of the Local Composite Index and their resultant effects. The study identified specific phenomena and their percentage contribution to the volatility of the Local Composite Index. The study found three interactive effects of the LCI ratio structure that contribute to its volatility: * The Ratio structure can enhance the LCI value. * The Ratio structure can dampen the LCI value. * The ratio structure allows for Synthetic Change within the Local or State Standardized Indicators, which stimulates unpredictable patterns of volatility.