The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the pedagogical influences of the value-added model of evaluation as experienced by elementary school teachers in a North Georgia suburban school district. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to provide a voice to (N = 12) elementary school teachers evaluated with a…

Building on the research of National Board Certification and its effect on teacher quality, student achievement, and professional development, this dissertation seeks to explore the factors that influence teachers when it is time to renew their National Board Certification. Using a qualitative methodology, this study seeks to describe the process…

The educational system is in a continual state of refinement in an effort to improve effectiveness. Many decisions are made regarding policy and procedure at the individual school level ascending to the federal level. The majority workforce carrying out these reform efforts is comprised of classroom teachers. Teachers have the most direct…

The purpose of this qualitative study, which utilized a case study approach, was to evaluate administrator's perceptions of the role of high school counselors. To evaluate those perceptions, the researcher analyzed data collected from two focus group interviews. The focus group interviews were conducted utilizing administrators employed at two…

As college and workplace success becomes increasingly dependent on reading, parents and educators have become more interested in how to engage students in reading. Teachers at a rural Georgia high school have reported that students are reluctant to engage in academic reading. Guided by previous research on the factors that promote or discourage…

A number of factors seem to contribute to low student achievement in the organization of education. Some of these factors exist prior to children reaching school age. It seems as though a vast quantity of minority students struggle academically. Research supports the belief that socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and single-parent families have an…

The purpose of this study was to explore how junior level students at a Georgia postsecondary institution perceived their college experiences were impacted by the meritbased aid they received. The study employed a phenomenological method and was based on Tinto's psycho-social-economic-organizational model, from "Theories of college student…

The increasing numbers and influence of older adults is causing many segments of western society to re-evaluate the concept of old age. Medical advances and personal lifestyles have resulted in older adults living longer and healthier lives. As one ages, adjustments in work, family, and health must be made. Self-directed learning (SDL) is one way…

IN THIS REPORT DATA DESCRIBING THE SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RESIDENTS OF "VINE CITY," A NEGRO SLUM IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ARE STATISTICALLY SUMMARIZED AND ANALYZED. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX PERSONS, MOSTLY WOMEN, REPRESENTING 11 PERCENT OF "VINE CITY'S" FAMILY POPULATION, WERE INTERVIEWED BY STUDENTS AT A NEARBY COLLEGE. THE…

Adjustment experiences of South Korean graduate students' wives living in Georgia were examined from a feminist viewpoint. The adaptive process, its cultural meaning, and related social ramifications, was hypothesized to be an example of transformative learning. These two questions guided the study: (1) how did South Korean students' wives adapt…