Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Sheila Jones-Mosley
Committee Member
Sandra Ransel
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
accessibility, accountability, adulthood, applied dissertation, character development, classroom instruction, community participation, high school students, leadership model, maturation, module development, public education, quantitative research, responsibility, school district, student development, teacher development, teacher training, transition to adulthood
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate a student character development program. Also addressed was how teachers could ally this module. Education can be viewed as a puzzle. A piece of the puzzle that is missing bridges the gap between academia, work, and adulthood. Many students are ill prepared for the transition from high school to the real world. The leap from public education to adulthood has become a struggle. Students believe they are ready to take on the world, but the world has been taking on the students for a much longer time. Teachers need to assist students in their preparation to become better participants in their school and community.
This study identified a leadership model for teacher development and also demarcated areas on which leaders should focus. The quantitative study examined and evaluated accessibility, accountability, and responsibility in 9th-grade high school students. The research was in a school district located in the southwestern part of the United States. The study developed and evaluated modules for training teachers to assist students in their maturation.
The strategy for a plan of improvement was realized through the creation of a module for teacher development. The significance and impact of the study are presented, along with recommendations for further study and improvements. An analysis of the data revealed that students can be taught accessibility, accountability, and responsibility in the classroom.