School Choice: The Perceptions of Rural Public School Educators

Literaturnachweis - Detailanzeige

Trefferliste

Autor/in	Brabham, Jessica Marlene
Titel	School Choice: The Perceptions of Rural Public School Educators
Quelle	(2010), (111 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ed.D. Dissertation, South Carolina State University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-2674-5356-3
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Rural Schools; Public Schools; School Choice; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Surveys; Age Differences; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; Ethnic Groups; Statistical Analysis; Hypothesis Testing; Factor Analysis; Teacher Characteristics; Elementary School Teachers; Middle School Teachers; High Schools; Secondary School Teachers; Administrator Attitudes; Librarian Attitudes; Comparative Analysis; South Carolina + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Rural area; Rural areas; School; Schools; Ländlicher Raum; Schule; Schulen; Public school; Öffentliche Schule; Choice of school; Schulwahl; Lehrerverhalten; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Geschlechterkonflikt; Rassenunterschied; Ethnie; Statistische Analyse; Hypothesenprüfung; Hypothesentest; Faktorenanalyse; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Middle school; Middle schools; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; High school; Oberschule
Abstract	This study identified the feelings and beliefs that rural educators possess about the options of school choice, via vouchers, as currently discussed by federal and state governments. The sample of this study consisted of 250 educators, representing 10 different schools, who completed a school choice survey developed by the researcher. A comparison was made in the perceptions of educators according to age, gender, and ethnicity. This study incorporated the principles of quantitative research to test the null hypotheses. Data used in this study were examined using the following statistical procedures: Descriptive Statistics, Cronbach Alpha reliability, t-test of independent means, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson Correlation, and Factor Analysis. In order to examine the hypotheses a t test of independent means and analysis of variance were performed to examine mean differences of the independent variables (i.e., gender, ethnic group, and age of educators) and dependent variable (i.e., overall mean score for the positive and negative school choice factors). Each of the t tests of independent means and analysis of variance tests was analyzed at the p < 0.05 level of significance. In order to examine the three hypotheses, factor analysis was performed to examine the underlying theory of the 12 school choice questions. Based on the factor analysis results, the 12 questions regarding school choice produced 2 school choice factors. Under each of the factors are the items that make up the factor. The first factor was defined as the Positive Impact school choice factor and the second factor was defined as Negative Impact school choice factor. Participants for this study were certified public elementary, middle, and high school educators. These participants were employed at 10 different schools in the State of South Carolina. This study consisted of 250 administrators, librarians, and teachers from selected rural schools in the state of South Carolina. These professionals were given a survey to respond to school choice questions to analyze their beliefs and feelings about school choice. Of the 250 respondents to the survey, this study revealed that there was no significant difference in the perceptions of the respondent ratings of the Positive Impact school choice factor by gender. When examining the Negative Impact school choice factor, there was no significant difference in responses according to gender. It was also revealed that that there is not a significant difference in the rating by ethnic groups for Positive Impact school choice factor. African-American educators rated the Negative Impact school choice factor significantly higher than their Caucasian counterparts. Further, this investigation found that there was no significant difference between the age of educators and their perceptions of the Positive Impact school choice factor. When examining the Negative Impact school choice factor, there was a significant difference between age group ranges of educators and their level of agreement about the factor. Educators between the age ranges of 21-31 and 41-50 rated the Negative Impact school choice factor significantly higher than educators in the age ranges of 31-40, and 50 and above. The null hypothesis was rejected at the p < 0.05 level of significance. In essence, the perceptions of school educators regarding school choice via vouchers do not differ in terms of gender, racial ethnicity, and age. However, there are significant differences when looking at the age of educators and the ethnicity when one looks at the negative factors comprised in the survey questions. The results showed that educators' overall ratings of school choice were not significant based on ethnicity, gender, and age. However, there were considerable significant differences in perceptions in the factor analysis of positive and negative impact factors of school choice when comparing the gender, age, and ethnicity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10