Business Research Methods 11e Cooperschindler 1 Cases Abstra

Business Research Methods 11e Cooperschindler1casesabstractbackg

Mastering Teacher Leadership This case is about a multistage, communication study of teachers by Wittenberg University’s Department of Education to determine the viability of starting a Master of Education program for Ohio-certified teachers working within school districts serving a five-county area. Ohio legislators recently implemented new standards for those wishing to teach within Ohio’s public and private schools. Teachers certified to teach in Ohio in 2002 or later will need to complete a master’s degree before obtaining their second licensure renewal. New teachers, therefore, will have a five- to seven-year window to complete the master’s degree after their initial licensure to teach.

Historically, teachers have looked to graduate level courses to fulfill their professional development requirements. According to the newly passed Ohio Department of Education Teacher Certification Standards, for the first time all professional development activities must be tied to professional development plans customized by local school district goals. All such plans will be approved and monitored by Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs). These LPDCs will favor courses that align with local goals, which are increasingly driven by student performance on standardized tests. Wittenberg University, primarily a residential campus of 2,000 students affiliated with the Lutheran Church in America, is located in central Ohio. It is a comprehensive liberal arts institution with professional programs in education, business management, pre-med, and pre-law. With over 150 years of experience training teachers, Wittenberg has a reputation for producing high-quality K–12 educators, which is seen as its greatest asset for developing a master’s program.

Although Wittenberg has not traditionally offered graduate degrees in education, it has offered graduate degrees in music and theology in the past. The proposed program in education is viewed as an opportunity to both uphold its high academic standards and expand its offerings to meet rising demand, driven by new certification standards, increased turnover, and demographic shifts. Wittenberg’s Center for Professional Development (WittCPD) already offers courses to meet continuing education requirements and is well-situated to develop a master’s program. Nearby universities such as Wright State University (WSU) and the University of Dayton (UD) already offer master’s degrees in teaching and related continuing education programs, which presents both competition and collaboration opportunities.

Teacher turnover in Ohio is expected to increase for several reasons, including the aging of the teaching workforce, incentive buyouts, and shortages in critical subject areas such as math and science. For example, Clark County and Springfield City schools have large numbers of certified staff and consistently hire dozens of new teachers annually. In 1998–1999, surveys and focus groups with teachers and administrators indicated a positive attitude toward a master's program tailored to their needs, emphasizing content areas like classroom management, assessment, technology, and collaboration.

In fall 1999, WittCPD conducted a survey among teachers to assess interest in a Master of Arts in Classroom Leadership. A total of 763 teachers responded to a questionnaire designed to gauge their interest, perceived barriers, and preferences for such a program. The survey explored their current teaching experience, educational background, professional interests, and logistical considerations such as proximity, scheduling, and financial aspects. Results showed that 21.2% definitely would enroll, and 57.7% might enroll if conditions were favorable.

Before launching the program, Wittenberg’s board requires assurances that the new degree would uphold its liberal arts tradition, enhance undergraduate teacher education, and reach financial viability within the first year of operation. As part of the evaluation process, a management-research question hierarchy needs to be built, the appropriateness of the exploratory research stage assessed, sampling strategies evaluated, the survey instrument reviewed, and a preliminary analysis plan outlined.

Discussion

1. Build the management-research question hierarchy for this opportunity.

2. Evaluate the appropriateness of the exploratory stage of the research design.

3. Evaluate the sampling strategy.

4. Evaluate the survey:

• a. In terms of structure, what is the quality of this instrument? What improvements would you make?
• b. In terms of measurement questions, are the chosen response strategies appropriate?
• c. Does this instrument meet the needs summarized in the investigative questions noted in your management-research question hierarchy?

5. Prepare a preliminary analysis plan for this study. Which variables do you want frequencies on? Why? Which variables do you want to cross-tabulate? Why?

6. Analyze the data from this study on your CD (Excel 97 file format: Witt Masters CPD.xls). With respect to creating a Master of Arts in Classroom Leadership program, what recommendation is supported by your data analysis?

7. What role could GIS play in this analysis?

Assessment Activity - Mastering Teacher Leadership, Part 2

Review the case study Mastering Teacher Leadership. (attached) Answer question 4 at the end of the case study.

4. Evaluate the survey:

• A. In terms of structure, what is the quality of this instrument? What improvements would you make?
• B. In terms of measurement questions, are the chosen response strategies appropriate?
• C. Does this instrument meet the needs summarized in the investigative questions noted in your management-research question hierarchy?

Evaluate the sampling strategy by responding to the following:

• · Was there an appropriate sampling plan?
• · Define the type of sampling WittCPD obtained.
• · Was the sample appropriate for this research? Why or why not?