Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FULL-SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOL STRATEGY IN BALTIMORE CITY: A CASE STUDY(2024) Manko, Joseph Nguyen; Galindo, Claudia; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The community school strategy was first introduced in Baltimore City in 2012. Community schools are public elementary or secondary schools that provide comprehensive academic, social, and health services for students, families, and community members (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). In 2021, the state of Maryland made a substantial commitment to the expansion of community schools in landmark legislation entitled The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Through the Blueprint, Baltimore City’s community schools footprint rapidly expanded from 51 to 123 community schools during the 2019-2020 school year. In this dissertation, I present findings from a case study conducted on a newly constituted community school resulting from the Blueprint expansion. This study utilized the four pillars of community schools as a framework for examining programming and implementation of the community strategy, as well as its successes and challenges.To examine implementation of the community school strategy at the case study site, I interviewed key implementers and stakeholders including school administrators, teachers, parents, community partners, and the community school coordinator. The study found that all four pillars of the community school strategy were present at the case study site and surfaced four major successes: 1) the development of a welcoming environment; 2) buy-in from Bayfront personnel to the strategy; 3) the responsiveness of the community school strategy to feedback from students and families; and 4) robust ramp up in programs and services to provide much needed support for the community. The research findings also surfaced six challenges with community school implementation that included: 1) challenges around communication; 2) challenges posed by the Covid school closures; 3) challenges around the lack of a deep connection with parents; 4) challenges serving a Latinx population; 5) challenges associated with the lack of extended day opportunities for students; and 6) challenges that are even too large for community schools to address. The study resulted in four major findings that include an exploration of: 1) the critical role of people in the successful implementation of the community school strategy; 2) the importance of the United Way as a lead agent; 3) the existence of a siloed community schools structure that resulted in divides between academic and community functions of the school; 4) and the presence of a transactional community schools approach resulting in a unidirectional flow of resources and support. I examined several aspects of these findings through Honig’s (2006) contemporary implementation policy framework, which seeks to elevate the crucial role that people, policy, and places play in shaping how implementation unfolds. This research study can serve as a resource for researchers, policy makers, educators, community school implementers, and educational advocates seeking to answer questions about potential challenges and opportunities as community school expansion continues across Maryland as a result of the Blueprint. As the community school strategy continues to expand nationwide, this study can provide insights into key implementation considerations for schools in the early stages of strategy adoption.Item The Implementation of Peace Agreements Following Civil Wars and Post-Conflict Outcomes(2016) Cil, Deniz; Huth, Paul; Government and Politics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While previous studies show that conflict is less likely to recur if implementation of an agreement is successful, little work has focused on identifying the factors that lead to successful implementation. In other words, following a negotiated settlement of a civil war, what causes warring parties to fulfill their promises of implementing reforms in different issue areas instead of reneging or returning to violence? Similarly, why are some peace agreements fully implemented while others are only partially or never implemented? Additionally, while successful implementation is a necessary condition for durable peace, not all partial or failed implementation cases lead to conflict recurrence. Therefore, a subsequent question raises, why do some partial and failed implementation processes lead to conflict recurrence while others do not? This dissertation addresses these questions in a two-step process. In the first part, this dissertation identifies the conditions under which state- and non-state actors would be more inclined to fulfill or evade their responsibilities deriving from particular agreements. The second part focuses at variation in the degree of implementation and its effect on post-conflict outcomes, mainly conflict recurrence. Building upon the bargaining theory of war, this dissertation argues that bargaining between parties does not stop once an agreement is signed. The implementation of an agreement is a continuation of the bargaining process in which both sides try to get the maximum amount of concessions they can while updating their beliefs on the gains and losses to be made by staying in the peace process or abandoning it. Therefore, the negotiation and implementation stage should both be taken into account to fully understand successful transitions to peace, and the incentive of parties to continue implementation. The main argument is that as long as the costs of non-compliance remain high, both parties will continue implementation. Both sides, but especially non-state actors, should retain their military capability to enforce the implementation of the agreement and credibly threaten renewed violence in the wake of failed implementation. A series of statistical models using original dataset on the implementation of peace agreements provides support for this theory.Item EXAMINING THE IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: A CASE STUDY(2016) Brooks, Stefan Frederick; Hultgren, Francine H; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Title of Thesis: Thesis directed by: ABSTRACT EXAMINING THE IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: A CASE STUDY Stefan Frederick Brooks, Master of Education, 2016 Professor and Chair Francine Hultgren Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership Department Project-based learning (PjBL) is a common instructional strategy to consider for educators, scholars, and advocates who focus on education reform. Previous research on PjBL has focused on its effectiveness, but a limited amount of research exists on the implementation challenges. This exploratory case study examines an attempted project- based learning implementation in one chemistry classroom at a private school that fully supports PjBL for most subjects with limited use in mathematics. During the course of the study, the teacher used a modified version of PjBL. Specifically, he implemented some of the elements of PjBL, such as a driving theme and a public presentation of projects, with the support of traditional instructional methods due to the context of the classroom. The findings of this study emphasize the teacher’s experience with implementing some of the PjBL components and how the inherent implementation challenges affected his practice.Item ASSESSING THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION POLICY AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEVEL IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO(2014) Joseph, LENISA N.; Lieber, Joan; McLaughlin, Margaret; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the implementation of inclusive education at the early childhood level in Trinidad and Tobago. Subjects included officials from the Ministry of Education and teachers who are involved in implementation of the policies for children at early childhood centers. I used qualitative methodology in order to best assess inclusive education implementation process at the early childhood level using the implementation framework of Fixsen et al (2005) and the UNESCO (2005) guidelines for inclusive education. Using a combination of data collection methods I assessed from senior ministry officials and teachers at pilot schools how the implementation of inclusive education at the early childhood level was progressing. The written documents of the former government used to access loans for the initiative reflects use of all three drivers of the Fixsen framework. The actual implementation was affected by the lack of a sufficient number of teachers required for the initiative. In addition the former government lost the election during the early stages of implementation and changes at the Ministerial level resulted in alterations in implementation plans. The current government has not continued the same inclusive education model. The findings are reflective of what can happen when new education initiatives are attempted by a top down approach without sufficient infrastructure. As this is often the case in many developing countries, it leads to gaps between policies and their implementation. The study also indicates the need for ensuring that there are resources at the ground level and sustained support and technical assistance in order for countries to successfully implement inclusive education policies.Item MULTICULTURAL PEDAGOGIES: THREE TEACHERS' UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION(2012) Prell, Vanessa Sylvie Calvo; Croninger, Robert; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While multicultural curriculum is widely used, little is known about how teachers conceive of this curriculum. The purpose of this thesis is to explore teachers' understanding and implementation of multicultural curriculum, including the factors that affect, their beliefs about and practices of multicultural education. My study identifies two pedagogies of multicultural education: student centered and curriculum centered. These pedagogies are shaped by the teachers' view of student engagement, teacher authority, curriculum flexibility, and critical thinking. Teachers' motivations to include multicultural curriculum derived from personal experiences with race and culture. However, teachers struggled with organizational barriers such as limited time, incomplete multicultural knowledge, unachievable curriculum standards, and incompatible mandated texts. This research opens avenues for increased reflection upon and use of multicultural curriculum.Item The Effects of School-Based Social Skills Programming on Academic Instruction Time and Student Achievement(2009) Nese, Joseph F.; Gottfredson, Gary D; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purposes of this study are to examine: (a) the effects of a well-implemented, school-based, universal social skills intervention on time-spent in formal social skills instruction and academic instruction time in the classroom; and (b) the effects of time-spent in formal social skills instruction on student achievement. Twelve elementary schools were matched and one school of each pair was randomly assigned to the treatment. The sample included 1,724 students in 113 third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms with low rates of social-behavioral problems. Multilevel data analyses (HLM) methods were used to investigate the school-based treatment effect of social skills programming on academic instruction time as well as the classroom-level effect of social skills instruction on student achievement. Results indicated that treatment students received significantly more formal instruction in social skills, and that the frequency of formal social skills instruction had a very small, negative effect on students' report card grades and standardized test scores when lessons were 30 minutes or less in duration. The effects were not consistent and were so small as to have little theoretical or practical significance. Research and policy implications are discussed.Item Teacher Sense-making and Policy Implementation: A Qualitative Case Study of a School District's Reading Initiative in Science(2009) Quinn, John Rory; Mawhinney, Hanne; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In response to No Child Left Behind federal legislation and Maryland's Bridge to Excellence Act, a school district created a strategic plan that included a program initiative for improving reading in secondary schools. The initiative involved the implementation of Reading Apprenticeship, a program that required content teachers to infuse reading instruction into their practice by modeling reading behaviors and utilizing tools designed to promote metacognitive conversations with their students. This qualitative case study used a cognitive perspective to explore the sense-making of a team of middle school science teachers who received training and sought to implement the program in their instructional practice during the 2004-2005 school year. The findings revealed that policy implementation varied for the different members of the team and was adversely affect by other policies and resistance by students. At the same time, policy implementation was enhanced by teacher participation in the communities of practice associated with the initiative. Implications from the study advocate that school districts actively engage in sense-giving activities and support the communities of practice that are established when new policy measures are introduced. The study calls for further research on how students respond to policy initiatives and how they shape their teachers' sense-making. This study contributed to the sparse body of literature in this new field of education policy implementation research.Item Analysis of the Implementation of Teacher Education Policy in China since the 1990s: A Case Study(2006-11-30) Li, Jun; Lin, Jing; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)China has at present the largest system of basic education and the largest teacher work force in the world. The teacher education system plays a critical role in preparing an enormous army of qualified teachers for the basic education system. Since the 1990s, China's teacher education has been undergoing radical transformations: The vision and mission of teacher education have changed significantly; teachers' roles are redefined in order for them to respond to the new demands of the dramatically changing society; the "market" for preparing teachers is shared by various competitors; new degrees, programs as well as curricula are designed for prospective teachers. The implementation process of the national policy of reform, however, has not been paid enough attention. This study looks into the complicated implementation process of China's teacher education reform policy since the 1990s from the rational and critical frameworks. It has been designed with a case study approach to investigate and understand how a higher teacher education institution has responded to the national policy of teacher education reform. The study focuses on changes in institutional goals, strategies the case university adopted, and examines communication channels of policy, conflicts among stakeholders, and barriers arising from internal and external factors for the implementation of the national policy of teacher education reform. The study serves as an explanatory instrument to understand what the national policy of teacher education reform in China is about, to explore how the teacher education policy was implemented in a higher teacher education institution, and to reveal the unique policy implications derived from the Chinese experience. The findings of this study reveal that the implementation of the national policy was a linearly developed process to resolve the substantial problems of the teacher education system by unitary policy players, viewed from the rational framework. The policy action was advanced and developed to meet the need of the rapidly changing society. The critical framework suggested that the stakeholders of the national policy were diverse conflicting groups who worked together to implement the national policy while at the same time they conflicted with each other on many fronts for their own legitimacy and benefits. The implementation process became a heatedly contested process for redistribution of political and economic benefits among the interest groups. In addition, this study identifies that there were severe institutional barriers accounting for the success or failure of the implementation of the national policy. These barriers include stakeholders' adverse attitudes, authoritarian traditional culture, and overlapping implementation of other national policies. Theoretical reflections are rendered from the findings for implementation studies. Specifically, the role of the cultural dimension in the implementation process is discussed. Finally, recommendations are proposed for implementation practices and for future research.Item The Relationship between the Level of Implementation of Instructional Consultation Teams and Student Goal Attainment(2006-05-01) LaFleur, Allison Marie; Rosenfield, Sylvia; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)A number of prereferral and problem-solving teams have emerged since PL 94-142 to provide consultation and intervention planning for teachers with difficult to teach students. Instructional Consultation Teams (IC Teams) is one model that attempts to improve student academic and behavioral performance through the use of a structured problem-solving process. This study examined the archived data of 417 IC Team consultant-teacher dyads to determine the relationship between implementation of the collaborative process and student goal attainment.
High levels of goal attainment were assessed for cases that provided full SDF documentation. Implementation in the dimensions of Clear Communication, Intervention Implementation and Intervention Evaluation related to a small degree with student goal attainment. However, 42% of cases did not provide sufficient information to determine goal attainment. Those cases that did fully document SDF data had higher implementation scores than did those that provided partial or insufficient documentation of critical SDF components.