|
|
|
|
|
Educator Empowerment
|
|
|
A Study of Educator Empowerment and Student Achievement Levels TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Introduction ................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ....................... 2 Hypothesis ..................................... 4 Significance of the Study ...................... 4 Definition of Terms ............................ 7 Limitations of the Study ....................... 9 Basic Assumptions ..............................10 Procedures for Collecting Data .................12 Procedures for Treating Data ...................14 CHAPTER TWO Review of the Literature .......................16 CHAPTER THREE Summary ........................................25 Conclusion .....................................27 Recommendation .................................28 References .....................................30 CHAPTER ONE Introduction Empowerment, considered an essential component of Total Quality Management, is becoming the dominant theme in all types of organizations including business, industry, and service organizations. Empowerment distributes decision-making responsibilities throughout all levels of an organization. Although the objectives of Total Quality Management are far reaching, the ultimate goal of the organization adopting this management model is to achieve growth by successfully producing quality products that satisfy the changing needs of it's customers. Under TQM, accountability is focused, through empowerment, on the lowest levels of the organization (Ruffin, 1985). Interest in this management model is rapidly spreading. Traditionally, school level personnel are excluded from critical decisions including personnel allocations and hiring, curriculum, budget allocations, and scheduling of teaching time. Today, more school organizations, administrators, teachers, and communities are examining the possible benefits. Jenkins (1988) states that "To empower other is to give a stakeholder share in the movement and direction of the enterprise" (p. 149). Researchers as well as educational, political, and other public groups studying implications of restructuring our public educational system and the empowerment of school staff members. Many believe that staff members who are able to initiate and carry out new ideas by involvement in decision making should, in turn, create enhanced learning opportunities for students. It's time for school administrators, like other American business leaders, to revisit traditional administrative practices. As the expectations of today's social and working environments demand greater responsibility and high professional standards from our classroom educators, classroom educators should have more opportunities to control the elements that govern their environment. Statement of the Problem The problem of this study is to examine the effect of educator empowerment on the academic achievement levels of students. Hypothesis There will be no significant difference in the academic achievement levels of students where classroom educators have been empowered with greater responsibility in developing individualized student curricula. Significance of the Study Criticisms of our public schools confront us on a daily basis. Federal, state and local officials decry the money spent on schools and the lack of return on the investment. The business community finds the employability of high school graduates questionable, and as they face increasing tax burdens, business leaders are beginning to demand a greater say in both the ends and the means of solving educational problems. The public complains about low test scores and dropout rates that are unacceptably high (Bamburg and Isaacson, 1991). Schools are besieged from without by all manner of experts who have determined what schools should do in order to more be effective. Educators, as well, are frustrated by their own apparent inability to address the needs of the students who, in many cases, have fundamentally different needs than those of even ten years ago. Today's students come from more diverse backgrounds and possess more complex needs than in the past. These needs must be addressed if students are to process information accurately, work harmoniously with those around them, and to be successfully retrained several times during their careers. Schools must realize that America can no longer write off 25% of the students who will comprise an industrial economy that is rapidly maturing technologically. A recent study of school factors that may encourage students to drop out of school reported in Teachers College Record discussed characteristics of schools with high drop out rates pointing to overcrowding in schools, fiscal arrangements that encourage early dismissal of dropouts, and underachieving student body, and a high level of disempowerment experienced by the staff (Rinehart and Short, 1992). In addition, there is a socio-political perspective that a democratic society cannot survive without a well educated populace. Today's needs can be achieved only through reform. Critics maintain that very little substantive improvement has taken place in recent years, despite the energy and resources spent on reform. Mojkowski and Fleming (1988) state that traditional school administration is not structured to encourage the kind of changes necessary to make a significant difference. Researchers support the assumption that teacher empowerment relates to greater organizational effectiveness (Lawler, 1986). It appears that individual school participants who can influence the work of the organization feel greater commitment to creatively and effectively address the problems and opportunities in educating today's youth. Definition of Terms 1. Administration - Refers primarily to district administration, including school boards, but may vary according to how districts are organized. 2. Manager - Synonymous with administrator. Refers primarily to the school principal, but may vary according to how districts are organized. 3. Educator - Synonymous with individual teacher. Refers primarily to the classroom teacher, however it may include support positions such as counselor, advisor, or other positions related to student needs and development. 4. Total Quality Management (TQM) - A style of management that supports change and flexibility by encouraging employees on the lowest levels of the organization to take control of their work environment. Organizations believe that the road to greater success and growth is by providing comprehensive training, tools and support for an empowered workforce. Within the education system TQM represents school-based management, site-based management, or other similar terms for individual school management. 5. Empowerment - An element of TQM where administrators involve classroom educators in decisions that affect their teaching environment and ability to satisfy the learning needs of their students. Empowerment is dependent on an integration of knowledge, capabilities and commitment on all administrative levels to attain a common set of objectives and goals. It is structured to focus on both the classroom educator and student needs, and a curriculum development and implementation plan which includes both administration and classroom educators. One of the major elements of empowerment is to endow the classroom educator with a greater share of responsibility on administrative issues. Administration, however, still maintains the final authority over educator recommendations. 6. Iowa Tests of Basic Skills - Criterion-referenced achievement battery used to determine basic skills in school children. 7. Traditional administrative policies and procedures - An organizational structure where the power for establishing policies, procedures and decision-making are limited to upper administration. Limitations of the Study 1. This study will be limited to the resource material in the Leonard H. Axe Library at Pittsburg State University, the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC), the George A. Spiva Library, Missouri Southern State College, and AlliedSignal Total Quality Management educational resources. 2. This study will be limited to a period of three years.
|
|
|
|
Still Can't Find What Your Looking For? Then Try a Essay Search!
|
