Achieving Good Dividends Through Brand Leadership

The authors of this chapter argue for more successful and inspirational businesses that walk the talk. The case of Elvis & Kresse is offered to illustrate that a brand can live and breath the essence of 'doing good'. Elvis & Kresse follows high ethical standards, cares for the environment, employees, consumers and shows an inspirational example of how to combine high standards and responsible business practices

Perceived experiences that positively contribute to high-achieving African American male student success at a large urban community college

Perceived Experiences That Positively Contribute to High-Achieving African American Male Student Success at a Large Urban Community College Shantay R. Grays, Ed.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 2017 Supervisor: Norma V. Cantu Over the past two decades there have been increasing concerns about the steady decline in higher education attainment levels of African American males. There is extant literature that on African American male academic achievement and success in four-year institutions from a deficit model perspective. There is little research on high-achieving African American male students, specifically in community colleges. This study examined the lived experiences of six high-achieving African American male students enrolled in a large urban community college. The research study brings to light the perspectives of academically successful young men as well as their interpretations and understandings of how their lived experiences contributed to their academic development and success. This qualitative study responded to the following research questions: (1) What secondary school experiences do high-achieving African American males perceived as contributing to their academic success? (2) What personal experiences do high-achieving African American males perceive as contributing to their academic success in a large urban community college? (3) What institutional programs or services do high-achieving African American males perceive as contributing to their academic success in a large urban community college? The participants were 6 high-achieving African American and Black males attending a large urban community college located in in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the data yielded ten major themes (1) College Preparation, (2) High School Peer Influence, (3) Extracurricular Activity Participation, (4) Self-Motivation, (5) Family Interactions, (6) Adjustment to College, (7) Engagement, (8) Participation in Student Organizations, (9) Leadership Development Programs, and (10) Academic Support Services. The information gleaned from this study may contribute to the scarce body of knowledge that examined factors that contribute to the academic success for high-achieving African American men in a community college.Educational Administratio

The moral and ethical challenges of principal data-driven decisions about annual growth data

The purpose of this research was to determine the moral and ethical challenges principals face when making data-driven decisions guided by annual growth data. Annual growth data is the metric implemented by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a response to the No Child Left Behind Legislation. Under the legislation, states were empowered to hold local education agencies responsible for ensuring all students were performing on grade level. Principals are held responsible by the state accountability equation for ensuring their school obtains annual growth, indicating a student’s one year of academic learning. This research sought to understand how principals feel about using growth data and if they believe it is a quality metric to inform decision-making. Basic qualitative research was used to collect and analyze interview data from a pool of high school principal participants. The interview data were analyzed for codes and themes to develop a response to the research questions. Results indicate that principals are morally and ethically challenged when using these data to make instructional decisions but try to ensure that the best interest of the student is at the forefront of the adopted decision

A comparative assessment of early adult life status of graduates of the North Carolina Adolescent Parenting Program.

PROBLEM: What is the comparative impact of a second pregnancy prevention program for teen mothers on those who graduate from the program compared with a sample of young mothers of similar age and social circumstances who did not participate in the program? METHODS: Fifteen program graduates and 20 nonprogram cohorts were surveyed regarding a range of life domains. FINDINGS: Data indicated that program graduates were on a more positive life course: greater primary responsibility for housing and utilities, greater higher education enrollment, more job stability, and greater focus on career goals. CONCLUSION: The differences demonstrate the value of programs designed to assist teen mothers through the challenges of parenting and their own adolescent development. Teen mothers who received these resources became more capable, happier, and confident, which in turn will make them better parents and more empowered to pursue their own personal development

The challenge of change : a case study of the institutionalization of employability skills at Guilford Technical Community College

Characteristics of a knowledge economy have been extensively documented in the literature. Rapid change resulting from increased technologies and globalization has triggered an unprecedented urgency for all citizens to possess high-level workplace employability skills in order for the U.S. to maintain economic vitality and global competitiveness. Community colleges are primary providers of workplace skills, therefore, faculty are expected to teach high-level workplace skills to students. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of Guilford Technical Community College’s SACS Quality Enhancement Plan on faculty commitment to economic development and teaching high-level workplace employability skills. Additionally, the study described the implementation of the QEP as a large-scale strategic change at GTCC. A thorough review of the literature confirmed the significance of the need to examine institutional implementation of employability skills and faculty commitment to economic development and delivering high-level workplace employability skills to students. The study was conducted at GTCC utilizing a qualitative case study methodology. The dynamics of naturalistic inquiry provided rich insight of the implications for faculty commitment to economic and workforce development, and institutional change surrounding implementation. Data were amassed through interviews, documents, studies, surveys, and other relevant texts obtained from GTCC. Themes and patterns that emerged during the data collection to produce findings were used to address the following research questions: 1. What has been the impact of Guilford Technical Community College’s (GTCCs) QEP on commitment of faculty to incorporating high-level workplace employability skills in the curriculum? 2. What has been the impact of GTCCs QEP on commitment of faculty to economic development? 3. How did GTCCs administration facilitate the implementation of the QEP? 4. What were barriers to implementation of the QEP? 5. How did Guilford Technical Community College overcome barriers to implementation of the QEP? The research was rooted in Conner’s theory of the Stages of Change Commitment, and existing literature related to the topic. The study revealed that teaching employability skills to students was institutionalized by GTCC faculty participants; and hence, was a significant part of the college’s philosophy and culture. The findings of the study further addressed how GTCC administrators implemented the campus-wide strategic initiative, barriers to implementation of employability skills, and how GTCC overcame barriers

Using a complexity-based perspective to better understand the relationships among mentoring, school conflicts, and novice retention

In this study I used complexity-thinking, ecologically-based sustainable capacity-building, narrative methodology, and pragmatism to explore the relationships among mentoring, conflict, and novice retention. In order to explore these relationships, I constructed stories from my interviews with six mentor-novice dyads in a southeastern 9-12 high school that was struggling with teacher retention. I analyzed these stories that addressed the nature of the mentor-novice dyad in light of eight primary indicators of complex systems as defined by Davis and Sumara (2006). I also found examples of teacher conflicts with administrators, students, and other categories. I noted how the mentor-novice dyad's complex nature and its use of ecologically-based sustainable capacity building helped mentors and novices handle those conflicts and barriers to conflict resolution. The findings from this study suggest that the mentor-novice relationships were distinctly different from other helping relationships at my research site; however, the relationship between novice retention and the ways mentor-novice relationships handled school conflicts and barriers to conflict resolution were inconclusive

The impact of teacher change in an overseas military child development classroom

"The purpose of this interpretative inquiry study was to observe, describe, and analyze the experience of the children, as well as the adults, in an overseas military early childhood classroom when teacher change occurs. The intent was to gain an understanding about the effects of teacher change from the perspective of the individuals affected by teacher change. This study was done in an overseas military childcare program because the increased mobility of military families and teachers provides an additional dimension for understanding the phenomenon of teacher change. The procedures used were grounded in a feminist, Bronfenbrenner's bioecological, and Vygotskian framework. Data were collected through participant observation, using field notes; a schedule documenting teachers in the classroom daily; interviews with children, teachers, parents, and administrators; The Early Childhood Work Environment Survey; The Work Attitudes Questionnaire; The Scale of Organizational Commitment; Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Revised (ECERS-R); Teacher-Child Interaction Scale (TCIS); and Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS). The understandings gleaned during the five-weeks of observation in the classroom include: even though there were about thirty teachers in the classroom at various times, the children were unclear about whom, if anyone, was their teacher; the nomenclature used by teachers to refer to themselves and one another did not reflect value in the role of the teacher; the teachers generally did not demonstrate high quality teacher-child interactions that support child engagement in activities; and parents expressed frustration with the lack of connection with teacher when there was frequent teacher change. These understandings provide insight about minimizing the negative effects of teacher turnover, as well as the daily teacher changes in a classroom. There are implications for how the classroom teachers perceive and label themselves, as well as other teachers; the implementation of high quality early childhood principles and practices when there are changes in teachers; and how the child-child, teacher-child, and teacher-family relationships can be used to minimize the negative effects when there are changes in teachers."--Abstract from author supplied metadata