Stacey Edmonson

Few researchers have addressed student achievement outcomes as a function of grade span configurations for older elementary-aged students. Thus, this study was designed to determine differences between students ’ Grade 5 reading and mathematics achievement in elementary schools (K–5) as compared to intermediate schools (Grade 5, 5–6) for 5 academic years. Using archival statewide data, researchers used a rigorous five-step distance-based formula to match elementary schools to intermediate schools on four demographic/school characteristic variables. Current Issues in Education Vol. 14 No. 1 2 Students in K-5 settings attained statistically significantly higher levels of reading and mathematics achievement than did their counterparts, with moderate mean effect sizes of 0.37 and 0.47, respectively.

With the omnipresence of technology in society came the inevitable integration into education. This manuscript provides results of a statewide survey of developmental mathematics instructors' technology preferences and priorities across all levels of developmental mathematics courses. The study was part of a larger project designed to explore the use of technology in developmental education instruction. Educators and administrators can utilize this information to prepare professional development opportunities and to assist in their understanding of popular and appropriate technology to apply in developmental mathematics instruction. The information might also be used to garner ideas to aid in compliance with legislative mandates on instructional technology. The results suggest that developmental mathematics instructors were familiar with and considered educational technology a priority. However, full-time instructors were more likely than part-time instructors to consider techno...

Scholarly literature contains many references to the potential benefits of music participation on academic achievement, cognition, and other school-related factors including student engagement, attendance, and positive mood. However, few studies exist in which relationships between students' race and ethnicity and music course participation have been examined. Since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in the United States, educational researchers have suggested that the policy has led to narrowed curriculum and prompted teachers to teach only what is tested (Darling-Hammond, 2007). As a result, arts curriculum has been reduced in many states, reducing the potential for students to receive a well-rounded education (Gullatt, 2007; Ravitch, 2010). Although research has been conducted demonstrating how music might enhance academic achievement, effects of the NCLB Act have limited the curricular choices that parents and students must make as they plan for high school...

... A Principal's Guide to Teacher Leadership Gayle Moller and Anita Pankake The Instructional Leader's Guide to Informal Classroom Observations Sally J. Zepeda Dealing with Difficult Teachers, Second Edition Todd Whitaker N iii Page 5. Meet the Authors Stacey Edmonson is ...

This paper discusses the outcomes of a meta-analysis that reviewed primary studies from eight major databases to investigate the impact of role ambiguity and conflict in the burnout of special education teachers. Five role constructs were found to be present in the literature on burnout among special educators: role ambiguity, role conflict, role expectations conflict, role overload, and role self-concept. Meta-analyses were conducted for each of these role constructs and the various relationships they share with burnout constructs. With the exception of role conflict, effect sizes were given or derived for each of the role constructs and six distinct burnout constructs (frequency and intensity of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment). Multiple effect sizes for role conflict were found only for its relationship to emotional exhaustion. Specifically, the average effect size estimate for both the frequency and intensity for emotional exhaustion as it re...

The limited resources of most colleges and universities and the efforts of most higher education programs, including those in educational leadership, to comply with state and national standards mean that adjunct professors play a vital role in the success of an educational leadership program. This paper offers suggestions for maintaining the quality and success of adjunct professors in an educational leadership program. Tips for success are: (1) match courses taught by adjunct faculty with their areas of expertise; (2) provide services for adjuncts throughout the semester; (3) take care of the "little things"; (4) treat adjuncts as colleagues and not as subordinates; (5) encourage and support the work of adjuncts; and (6) communicate expectations of learner outcomes. (Contains 3 figures and 10 references.) (Author/SLD)

This paper presents a meta analysis of the literature on special education teacher burnout. Discussion of a theoretical framework reviews theoretical models of burnout, especially Maslach's model, and stages and constructs of burnout. The meta analysis of 46 studies of special educator burnout with sufficient data for further quantitative analysis addressed 23 research questions. Findings are reported in terms of descriptive analysis of primary studies, descriptive analysis of statistical tests, and independent meta analyses of selected findings. The study found small to negligible negative mean correlations for relationships between the burnout constructs of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment and the predictor construct of experience, suggesting that burnout tends (slightly) to decrease as experience increases. Also, small, negative relationships between age and the burnout constructs of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization suggest that e...

<p>Although many studies have been conducted regarding (a) school violence in middle schools and (b) the size of schools, to date, no researcher appears to have examined the role that the size of the middle school plays in determining incidents of violence specifically fighting, assaults, and aggravated assaults. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the incidents of school violence, specifically fighting, assaults, and aggravated assaults, and the size of middle schools in the state of Texas for 3 school years. All 842 middle schools in Texas were included in this study. Compared to small schools, medium schools, and large schools, very small schools had a statistically significantly lower proportion of students involved in assaults, proportion of students involved in aggravated assaults, proportion of incidents of assaults, and proportion of incidents of aggravated assaults. Further, very small schools had a statistically significantly lower proportion of students involved in fights and proportion of incidents of fights than did large schools. A trend emerged across the 4 school sizes for all 6 indicators of school violence, which, in every case, reflected a sharp increase from very small schools to small schools—peaking at small schools. Thus, very small schools appear to be at a greater advantage than are other types of schools with respect to incidents of school violence. Implications of the findings are discussed.</p>

ABSTRACT In a culturally diverse society, United States community colleges are ideally positioned to develop intercultural competence in students. This mixed method study focused on the relationship between student engagement, as measured by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (2005), and intercultural competence, as assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Bennett & Hammer, 1998). Student scores from the IDI were correlated with five benchmark measures of the CCSSE. Four of the five CCSSE benchmarks were significantly correlated with IDI scores. Then, students scoring in the highest and lowest quartiles on the IDI participated in focus groups to explore their perceptions of intercultural competence. Analysis revealed implications for community college leaders that include the value of using instruments like the CSSE and IDI to assess students’ intercultural competence. Practical implications also included the importance of collaborative classroom activities and exposure to racially and ethnically diverse faculty and students, as well as college-sponsored community service, cultural events, and study-abroad opportunities

The purpose of this study was (a) to research the impact of electronic communication on the role of the principal and school leaders and (b) to investigate patterns of unanticipated consequences or phenomena that have developed within the organization along with the widespread use of electronic media. Twelve themes were identified and grouped into two main categories of the principal's

Recent events in corporate scandals have led to an increased community awareness and expectation for ethical behavior on the part of public school administrators, who are the CEOs of school districts and campuses. As a result of the Enron scandal, a number of ...

Abstract: Recent corporate scandals have led to an increased community awareness and expectation for ethical behavior on the part of public school administrators, who are the CEOs of school districts and campuses. Previously, ethics has received little attention from ...