Page 1 |
Save page Remove page | Previous | 1 of 159 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
Subset |
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE:
A CASE STUDY OF THE ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL
DETERMINATION PROGRAM
by
Rosalyn Varee
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2008
Copyright 2008 Rosalyn Varee
Object Description
| Title | Factors contributing to transforming school culture: a case study of the advancement via individual determination program |
| Author | Varee, Rosalyn |
| Author email | varee@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education (Leadership) |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-05-05 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-06-26 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Datnow, Amanda |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Conchas, Gilbert Q. Melguizo, Tatiana |
| Abstract | The 1983 publication of A Nation at Risk has prompted many policymakers and educators to reform public schools to ensure that all students have equal access to higher education. As a result of these changes, many school districts across the country have chosen to implement a variety of college outreach programs not only to increase the number of students eligible to attend four year institutions but also to change the academic culture of the school. The context of this issue will be examined under a college preparatory program known as Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) which seeks to increase opportunities for minority or low socioeconomic students to enroll in four year universities by providing both social and academic support in rigorous courses.; The qualitative case study seeks to address how the AVID program has impacted the culture of a low performing and low socioeconomic high school. A large urban, low performing high school in Southern California was selected for the case study. The school was selected because they have been designated as an AVID National Demonstration Site, which is the highest distinction within the program. The distinction indicates that the high school has achieved the highest standards for AVID implementation and expansion. The program has influenced policy and structural changes school wide. In addition, the success of the AVID program is highly contingent on a strong district and site leadership team to support staff members and students. Although the AVID program seeks to change the perceptions of teachers who have lower expectations of minority students, the data reveals that teacher's beliefs about minority student achievement and their access to college has not been altered; The overarching result is that the academic culture of the high school has changed drastically after the implementation of the AVID program. Both teachers and students strongly agree that the school has improved academically. This can by verified by improvements in standardized test scores for the past seven years, number of students taking both A-G required courses, and the increase in number of students attending a four year institution. One suggestion for future research is to conduct multiple case studies comparing and contrasting the successes and failures of high school AVID programs related to changing the academic culture. Findingsfrom this case study indicate policy and practice implications such as, to provide extensive, specific, ongoing professional development for teachers on the AVID program methodologies and purpose, to provide all students access to A-G courses, and to ensure parents are involved and educated about the college going process. |
| Keyword | AVID |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1297 |
| Rights | Varee, Rosalyn |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/services/ask_a_librarian/email/ |
| Filename | etd-Varee-20080626 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume17/etd-Varee-20080626.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 1 |
| Full text | FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE: A CASE STUDY OF THE ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION PROGRAM by Rosalyn Varee A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION August 2008 Copyright 2008 Rosalyn Varee |
Comments
Post a Comment for Page 1
