This dissertation was designed to explore the impact of the identified responsibilities of the principal, as an instructional leader, within the professional development model of Reading First. Specifically, the research focused on the principals' use of the Observation and Constructive Feedback Processes as well as five specifically defined…

Although there is no common definition for teacher leadership, the concept is continually advanced as a key component for both the success of schools and professionalization of teachers. Studies have shown that teachers who feel empowered as leaders are more effective in the classroom. Professional development schools (PDSs) provide multiple…

There has been considerable debate in community colleges over the last forty years regarding the impact of increased use of part-time faculty (PTF) on student learning. It has been argued that part-time faculty fail to provide the same level of teaching quality as full-time faculty (FTF). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of…

This study examined the relationship between student satisfaction with faculty characteristics via the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. The CoI framework includes cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence. Subsets of teaching presence were explored more deeply by including subsets facilitation of discourse and direct…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of organizational features and student experiences on spiritual development among first-year students attending four-year institutions in the United States. The sample included over 7,000 first-year students from nearly 450 postsecondary institutions who participated in the spring 2004 National…

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine whether motivational emails sent from an instructor to student had an impact on performance in an online course, with student performance measured by course completion and course performance as evidenced by final course grade. The sample for the study was students enrolled in 12 online…

Increased scrutiny on the place of music education in school systems has caused some school systems to eliminate their music program entirely. School systems are being forced to place more emphasis on increased testing and accountability with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This study examined the impact music education has on academic…

This study's focus was to examine the impact of learning style on learning outcomes in an Interactive Multimedia Instruction program (IMI). The literature review emphasizes that incorporating technology alone does not ensure positive gains in an educational initiative. It also identified a number of factors that may influence how students will…

Women make up the majority of personnel in today's school systems yet few hold the highest position of superintendent. According to the Digest of Education Statistics, in 2001, 79 percent of all public school teachers nationally were female. Today, 80 percent of Alabama's teachers are female (Alabama Education Quick Facts 2008). However, there are…

Global outsourcing of information technology functions has become a major tool used by organizations to increase or maintain competitive market positioning. One often overlooked in determining an organization's level of success from outsourcing is the negative impact on the behavioral and emotional well-being of surviving employees, often referred…

Across the landscape of American higher education, research has gradually established its dominant role in faculty work since the end of WWII--a paradigm shift yet to be fully studied and understood. Situated on their traditional locales on the spectrum stretching from pure teaching to heavy research, contemporary institutions all attempt to be…

This dissertation examined the impact of inclusion on the academic achievement outcome of high school special education students as measured by English 1, biology, and algebra 1 as a function of gender, ethnicity, and years of inclusion. The study also examined the generalizations with confidence that could be made about the use of inclusion…

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have increasingly committed to become more sustainable in recent years. Despite this commitment, academic publications in the sustainability field assert that progress has been slower at IHEs than expected and that most IHEs have found sustainability initiatives difficult to implement. Comprehensive…

Statement of the problem: This research study examined the impact of international immersion programs upon undergraduate students at Jesuit colleges and universities. Students return from immersion experiences claiming that the experience changed their lives. This study offered an assessment strategy to give greater evidence as to the impact of…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in students' standardized test scores based on the instructional model their teachers used. One group of students was served under a pullout instructional model. The other was served under an inclusive model. It is not known whether or not the pullout instructional model or the…