Search Results

Who is Who in Zimbabwe's Armed Revolution? Representation of the ZAPU/ZIPRA and the ZANU/ZANLA in High School History Textbooks Narratives of the Liberation War

Description: The liberation war was a watershed event in the history of Zimbabwe. According to the ZANU PF (Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front) ruling elites, an understanding of the common experiences of the people during the liberation war provides the best opportunity to mold a common national identity and consciousness. However, the representation of important historical events in a nation's history is problematic. At best events are manipulated for political purposes by the ruling elites, … more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: May 2019
Creator: Sibanda, Lovemore
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring District and Campus Leaders' Practices that Support Homeless Students in Public Schools

Description: This qualitative case study explored how school district and campus-level administrators coordinate resources and services for currently enrolled homeless students. Participants in this study included three district-level administrators designated as the homeless liaison and three campus principals. Data collected and analyzed included audio recordings of semi-structured interviews of each participant, documents at the district and campus-levels, school board meeting notes, and research field… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Walker, Tonia L
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Perceptions of Principals Learning to Lead Professional Learning Communities in a Fast-Growth District

Description: The role of the principal has become increasingly complex and challenging. Recent emphasis has been placed on the role of principals as leaders who can build a culture of learning in schools to close the student achievement gap. Outside factors such as fast-growth in Texas have caused schools to change and grow quickly, which increases the learning demands placed on principals as they seek to develop the knowledge and skills needed for effective leadership. Developing and sustaining a professio… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Rapp, Kellie C
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Leadership Practices for Effective Equitable Learning Environments: A Case Study of Opportunity Gaps in a Rural District

Description: In rural, low socioeconomic public schools, the diversity of the student population challenges teachers beyond their means to meet the wide-ranging needs of students, and therefore creating opportunity gaps. The purpose of this study was to explore one district's leadership support of teachers to create an equitable learning environment for all students. The present study built on existing literature by discovering leadership practices and perceived necessary supports for closing achievement ga… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Palazzetti, Lisa A
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Universal Pre-K as a Vehicle for Reversing the Impact of Historic Racial Segregation in the United States

Description: Not all children begin their educational journey on equal footing. The purpose of this study is to investigate how universal prekindergarten (UPK) can serve as a key to remedying issues surrounding educational inequity. In order to understand educational inequity, I dive into the history of neighborhood racial segregation in the United States, and how it led to our currently unjust system. Racial segregation, specifically city zoning laws, created racially separate neighborhoods that are still … more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Bartley, Sarah
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Perceptions of Small Rural District Principals on Their Superintendent's Effectiveness in Principal Leadership Development

Description: Empirical research has shown a relationship between the school principal's leadership ability as an instructional leader and student learning outcomes. It would be reasonable to assume that the school principal benefits greatly from his or her superintendent sharing his or her knowledge and experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of a sample of rural West Texas principals and the frequency and extent to which their superintendent provides them effective professional… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Bartram, Timothy Lynn
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Hispanic Students' Perceptions of How Well Public High School Prepared Them for College

Description: Although Hispanics are graduating from high school at greater rates, it is not leading to college success as college graduation rates remain low. In Texas, the Hispanic population has grown to the point that one out of three of all Texans are Hispanic. A phenomenological approach to research was used to investigate the perceptions of Hispanic college students on how well their public high school prepared them for college. Through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions, eight Hisp… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Soto, Lionel
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Relationship of Five Facets of Teacher Trust in the Principal to Teacher Efficacy

Description: Relational trust exists between and among individuals within complex human organizations; however, within a school, the relationship between teachers and the principal is at the heart of the organization. The purpose of this mixed method study was to gain an understanding of the relationship between teachers' trust in their principal and teacher efficacy and determine which leadership behaviors and facets of trust have the greatest influence on the trust relationship between teachers and the pr… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Caudle, Airemy Marie
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Instructional Personnel Perceptions on Integrating Instructional Technology in K-12 Classrooms: A Case Study

Description: Integrating digital pedagogy into instruction in a manner that promotes critical thinking and drives increased student achievement and engagement in all classrooms is a goal of many campuses and districts that invest heavily in hardware, software, and professional development on an annual basis. Digital pedagogy goals tend to center around preparing students for the 21st century workforce, promoting instruction that is more engaging, and providing deeper learning for all students; however, achi… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Agent, Renee L
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Analysis of Legal Liability of Virginia Educators and School Systems

Description: The doctrine of sovereign immunity in the Commonwealth of Virginia has evolved over time and the redefinition of the doctrine has been subjected to the interpretation by courts involving cases with varied facts and circumstances that have challenged the boundaries and flexibility of this legal concept. Determining the protection that a state agent was entitled to was the guiding principle in case law regarding sovereign immunity; however, understanding the purpose and intent of the doctrine of … more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Johnson, Tracy Lou
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Viewing Colorblindness through the Eyes of Black, Female Early Childhood Educators: A Photovoice Project

Description: The rationale of color-blind ideology in the socializing space of the early childhood classroom encourages that racial, cultural, and ethnic differences remain unrecognized. Demographic shifts of diverse marginalized populations within majority, White suburban schools require the analysis of dominant ideologies that potentially leave biases unchallenged. This photovoice project centered the voice of three Black, early childhood educators working within majority White suburban schools in the Sou… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Rideaux, Kia S.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Using Data Envelopment Analysis to Predict the Impact of Socioeconomic Variables on Instructional Spending Efficiency and Student Achievement at the Elementary Level

Description: Public school finance and school accountability are highly contentious subjects. This correlational study illustrates campus level instructional spending efficiency by examining various input and output variables. The study utilizes data envelopment analysis of selected variables to compare elementary campuses and create instructional spending efficiency measures within purposively selected metropolitan educational service regions in Texas. The study analyzes elementary school instructional spe… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Ham, Richard Dale
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

College and Career Readiness of Students with Autism

Description: With one in every 59 individuals now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a significant increase in college enrollment for these students, yet, alarmingly, this population has the highest college dropout rate. Using Rawl's social justice theory as the frame, this qualitative study identified the perceptions of students with ASD, their college professors, and the director of the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA). Perceptions were examined through open-ended surveys re… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Stello, Christina N
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

High School Teachers and Support Staff's Attitudes toward Students with Disabilities in the Inclusive General Education Classroom

Description: Research has shown teachers' attitudes toward students with disabilities directly affect the students' performance in the general education classroom; however, more research is needed to determine what variables influence high school teacher and support staff attitudes. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of high school general education teachers, special education teachers, and support staff toward students with disabilities in the general education classroom. The study ex… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Yoakum, Carrie Mae
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Learning Management System Facilitated Blended Learning in Secondary Schools

Description: The relatively new utilization of learning management system (LMS) facilitated blended learning in secondary public schools has grown in popularity, but there is a void in research at this level. Teachers learned how to use the LMS features and honed their blended learning design skills through their own experiences, and in observation of their students' experiences. In this study, the knowledge teachers built and the decisions they made while designing blended learning were explored. In thi… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Clewell, Kelly Sue
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Highly Motivated, High-Achieving, Economically Disadvantaged Middle School Students: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Description: To conduct this qualitative dissertation study, a phenomenological approach was utilized. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of highly motivated, economically disadvantaged, middle school students to discover the factors that they identified as integral to their overall development and their intrinsic motivation, over time, to learn. A key component of this study was to give voice to the students who participated in this study and utilize their perspectives as a primary da… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Minyard, Michael
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Exploration of the Changing Role of Principal Supervisors

Description: Existing literature provides newly identified responsibilities of the principal supervisor but lacks in information about how districts should strategically spearhead the process of initiating, implementing, and managing the changes to the role of the supervisor. In this study, I examined the behaviors and actions of one school district's executive-level leaders as they shifted the position of the principal supervisor. Findings could contribute to a new area of research in how district leader… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Bennett, Mia H
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Improving Instruction through Teacher Evaluation: Principal and Teacher Perceptions of Leadership Practices and Policy Tools within the Evaluation Process

Description: In recent decades, changes to federal and state accountability policy and related teacher evaluation systems occurred in the United States with minimal input from two of the largest groups of stakeholders impacted: principals and teachers. For this case study, I explored principals' and teachers' perceptions of their experiences with the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), specifically the role of leadership practices and use of the evaluation rubric as a policy tool within an… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Clark, Christopher
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Impact of Early Childhood Education on Academic Achievement

Description: Two groups of students were compared to determine the impact of early intervention at the Early Childhood School on academic outcomes in later elementary school years for both math and reading. Students who were determined to be disadvantaged in some way, either by income, limited English proficiency, or having been identified as needing specialized instruction and who attended an early intervention program, prior to kindergarten, were compared to a similar group who did not attend the interve… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Davis, Jodi
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Are Things Falling Apart Again? A Dialectical Analysis of Language Education Policy in Nigeria

Description: Today's globalized world presents challenges for formulating language education policies in multilingual countries, and postcolonial Nigeria presents a dramatic illustration because of ongoing colonial influences as well as neocolonial factors. This study focused on dialectical relations over time among languages in Nigeria's National Policy on Education (NPE), published in 1977, 1981, 1998, 2004, 2013, and 2014. The title of the study harks to Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, which d… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Olaniyi, Adepeju Folasade
Partner: UNT Libraries

Asian and Asian Indian American Immigrant Students: Factors Influencing Their Academic Performance

Description: Asian American students have done well in school; they have had higher academic achievements, higher academic scores, lower dropout rates and higher college entrance rates as compared to other minorities and generally other students in the United States (U.S.). A possible explanation to the higher academic performance and achievement of the Asian American students is that they are more likely to have experienced an environment that is conducive to learning at home; their parents were involved a… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: August 2019
Creator: Mathew, Subhas
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Impact of Early Childhood Education on Later Academic Achievement

Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in the district's early childhood program on later academic achievement as measured by the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) mathematics and reading assessments in Grades 3, 4, and 5. The studied district opened a centralized early childhood school in 2009 and implemented the Texas Pre-K Guidelines. The STAAR test results were available for five cohorts of students who attended the early childhood sch… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Weems, Amy
Partner: UNT Libraries

Prevalence and Proportionality of Dyslexia in Texas Public and Charter School Districts

Description: Passed in 1985, the Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003, Screening and Treatment of Dyslexia and Related Disorders, required public school districts and charters to identify and provide remediation services for students with dyslexia. While Texas was the first state to pass such a requirement, the question remains: What is the prevalence and proportionality of dyslexia in Texas public school districts and charters? In Phase 1 of this study, a secondary analysis using point prevalence and disprop… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: August 2019
Creator: Sneed, Samantha
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Foundations of the Spanish Language Self-Efficacy of Bilingual Education Pre-Service Teachers

Description: The study of self-efficacy in pre-service bilingual education teachers is not a thoroughly researched topic. This dissertation provides qualitative research about the inception of Spanish language self-efficacy of pre-service bilingual education teachers from a large university in Texas. By juxtaposing the experiences of two students with high levels of Spanish self-efficacy with two students who have low levels of Spanish self-efficacy, data gives insight to what influenced varying perceptio… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Szwed, Amanda Rose
Partner: UNT Libraries
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