An Exposition on Bayesian Inference

The Bayesian approach to probability and statistics is described, a brief history of Bayesianism is related, differences between Bayesian and Frequentist schools of statistics are defined, protential applications are investigated, and a literature survey is presented in the form of a machine-sort card file. Bayesian thought is increasing in favor among statisticians because of its ability to attack problems that are unassailable from the Frequentist approach. It should become more popular among practitioners because of the flexibility it allows experimenters and the ease with which prior knowledge can be combined with experimental data. (82 pages

Why do Good Stay in High Poverty Schools?

This dissertation contributes to the research and discussion of high rates of teacher attrition and migration from our nation's high poverty schools. This study examines a select group of suburban teachers who work in high poverty schools within one of Kansas’s wealthiest and often rewarded school districts in order to better understand why they stay in high poverty teaching positions. This understanding is acquired by investigating the beliefs and values of teachers who have stayed in high poverty schools for 5 consecutive years or more. Additionally, these teachers have the penalty free option to transfer within their district to schools with low poverty student populations. The school district has been awarded on multiple occasions for organizational and educational functioning yet, their high poverty schools continue to account for over 40% of the transfer requests each year. Qualitatively exploring the beliefs and values of select quality teachers who stay provides insights into their perceptions and reactions to work place conditions and other human affective aspects of their own personal job satisfaction