Browsing by Author "Steeves, Larry"

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Open Access
“About Average” A Pragmatic Inquiry into School Principals’ Meanings for a Statistical Concept in Instructional Leadership
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2014-04) Hunter, Darryl Milburn; Dolmage, William Rod; Martin, Ronald; Steeves, Larry; Arbuthnott, Katherine; Paquette, Jerald
This mixed methods, sequential, exploratory study addresses the problem, “How significant are statistical representations of ‘average student achievement’ for school administrators as instructional leaders?” Both phases of the study were designed within Charles Sanders Peirce’s pragmatic theory of interpretation. In the first, phenomenological phase, 10 Saskatchewan school principals were each interviewed three times and invited to read aloud three different student achievement reports. Principals generally held a “centre-of-balance” conception for the average, which related to perspectives deriving from their organizational position. Abductive reasoning, a proclivity to act upon “below average” student achievement, leadership through asking leading questions, an inquiry cast of mind, and other pragmatic principles were clearly apparent. No evidence was found that school administrators were constrained by normative statistics into a uniform outlook, nor into purely instrumental behaviour. In a succeeding, overlapping phase based in the psychophysics of perception, Saskatchewan school leaders (principals and vice-principals) (n=210) were randomly assigned to one of four groups and asked to read an achievement report depicting student performance as a distribution of scores on a criterion scale. School leaders’ dispositions to be rational-analytical or intuitive-experiential were measured pre-and post-reading. A MANCOVA revealed small but significant changes in school leaders’ dispositions depending on the way the report was framed. Small but significant interactions between valence and audience on a reader’s rationality were observed. Negatively-framed test scores effected greater changes than positively-framed test scores in diminishing school leaders’ beliefs in their rationality. Principals’ and vice-principals’ dispositions did not differ. I conclude that reading reports which depict student achievements within a normative distribution has little statistical significance in changing leadership practice. However, school principals’ interpretations demonstrate the substantial practical significance of statistics when leading change. School administrators consider average student achievement not with the inferential patterns assumed within contemporary notions of heuristic irrationality, but rather as a reasoned form of inquisitive thinking and behaviour that has been formalized and comprehensively described in North American philosophy for over 100 years.
Open Access
Exploring the Way Servant Leaders Foster Employee Development: A Qualitative Study of Servant Leaders in Non-Profit Organizations
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2012-11-28) Goleski, Greg Levi; Bockarie, Abu; Steeves, Larry; Wessel, Warren; Kesten, Cyril
The literature on servant leadership in third sector organizations is in dire need of further research for documenting the developmental effects of servant leadership on employees in non-profit organizations (Schneider & George, 2011). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how servant leaders in non-profit organizations perceived their role cultivating their employees’ personal and professional development. The population under investigation constituted six Saskatchewan executive directors and managers, who worked for non-profit organizations, had more than 10 years experience in leadership roles, and identified as servant leaders within that timeframe. A modified van Kaam method utilized a servant leadership questionnaire, as well openended and semi-structured online and telephone interview questions for collecting data on the lived experiences of the servant leaders (Moustakas, 1994). The results of this study revealed the participants perceived servant leadership as beneficial to employee development in non-profit organizations, particularly at these times when these organisations have limited training and development budgets. Moreover, servant leaders in non-profit organizations were found to cultivate their employees’ development through the creation of positive learning environments, build community through modelling of collaboration and commitment, and exhibit stewardship by enhancing employees’ growth through effectively managing organizational resources whether internal or external to the organization. The participants noted numerous obstacles to effective servant leadership practices, such as abandoning their servant leadership convictions in moments of organizational crises, being taken seriously by nonpracticing servant leaders (such as transactional leaders), and that servant leadership is not conducive to the cold-hearted aspect of business. The study concludes with some recommendations for best practice, and offers some suggestions for further research.
Open Access
How do High School Counsellors Perceive Their Role? It Can Start in the Parking Lot
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-08) McGowan, Sharlene Gail; McNinch, James; Sasakamoose, JoLee; Halabuza, Donalda; Mulholland, Val; Steeves, Larry; Popadiuk, Natalee
This doctoral research was designed to acquire authentic data about the roles of practicing high school counsellors. Through a qualitative collective case study design, twelve practicing high school counsellors were interviewed about their perceptions of their role. Using open and axial coding, data were thematically reported and analyzed and were embedded in three conceptual frameworks: an interpretivist approach, elements of Durkheim’s structural functionalism, and principles of grounded theory. The results found that school counsellors perceived tension in ten of eleven thematic topics: advocacy practices, role ambiguity, the overwhelming demands placed upon them, their work as front-line mental health workers, parental communication, the unpredictability of their work day, collaborative practices, their support of school staff, involvement in crisis, and self-care. Counsellors did not perceive tension in supporting students for post-secondary or other academic assistance. Implications for future research were identified which may further reveal the work of high school counsellors, work that may be frequently clandestine to school stakeholders because of the confidential nature of the school counsellor’s role.
Open Access
Improving Accountability Models in Public Education: Applying Logic Models of Performance Management
(Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, 2008-04) Marshall, Jim; Steeves, Larry
Within the field of education administration and education policy a substantial body of literature has accumulated on the issue of accountability, especially as manifest in performance measurement and performance management approaches. Most of the effort in these areas has focused on the “high stakes” approach to accountability, as exemplified by the No Child Left Behind legislation in the United States. While this approach to accountability in the publicly funded K-12 educational system has had a dramatic impact, the failings of the approach as planning and evaluation methods are increasingly apparent.
Open Access
SIPP Policy Dialogue Number 16 Fall 2007
(Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, 2007) Pardy, Bruce; Whyte, John D.; Steeves, Larry; Lewis, Steven; Walker, Allan; Mitchell, Graeme G.; Driedger, Otto; Marchildon, Gregory P.; Elliott, Patricia W.; Rigby, George
On Sept 1st of this year, I was appointed Director of SIPP. I am delighted to once again be back in an organization with which I have long had an affiliation. I was a member of the original board of directors; later, I enjoyed a wonderful year at SIPP as a policy fellow. I am not only looking forward to working with old colleagues but I am excited to be in an institution which operates at the interface between policy research and actual decision-making.
Open Access
Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Students with Special Needs and Their Inclusive Education Program
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2013-05) Schuster, Joseph Randall G.; Wessel, Warren; Salm, Twyla; Lyons, Wanda; Steeves, Larry
Our attitude impacts our daily lives and is reflected in our behaviour. This study examines teachers’ attitudes about aspects of inclusive education. Attitude towards the inclusive programs, towards students with special needs as well as towards the teachers’ additional responsibilities surrounding inclusive education were examined. Data were collected through a survey instrument using a six point Likert scale. The points were assessed a numerical value to allow the researcher to make calculations of attitude scores. The survey, which included demographic details and questions about attitudes, was administered to a teacher population in East Central Saskatchewan. The data were analyzed to produce attitude scores of the teacher population toward various aspects of inclusive education. The analysis looked at correlations between demographic characteristics and attitude scores. The only demographic feature that was shown to correlate with teacher attitude was the teachers’ level of education. Overall, average attitude scores were slightly positive. The most positive attitude was towards inclusive programs followed by attitudes towards students with special needs and still positive but weaker were teacher attitudes toward their own responsibilities in regard to their involvement in inclusion.
Open Access
Teachers' Perceptions of Leadership Approaches of In-School Administrators
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-12) Danyluk, Carmen Joy; Nolan, Kathleen; Steeves, Larry; Bockarie, Abu; Hunter, Darryl
The purpose of this study was to collect, analyse, and represent teachers’ stories of experience regarding varied leadership approaches of in-school administrators. In this study, I focused on teachers' perceptions of the role of the in-school administrators as viewed through teachers' experiences of the leadership approaches of in-school administrators and the impact of these perceptions on the teachers’ professional practice. Data collection occurred in two stages: first, an anonymous online survey was completed by 63 participants; and second, one-on-one confidential interviews were conducted with seven participants. All research participants were practicing teachers from southern Saskatchewan schools, and all volunteered to participate. I explored participants’ stories of their experience with in-school administrators using a narrative inquiry methodology, which positioned me and my participants as peers and co-constructors of understanding. Guided by inquiry methodology, I viewed and analyzed the data (participants’ survey responses and personal interview narratives) through an adaptation of McCormack’s Lenses (Dibley, 2011; McCormack, 2004) specifically designed for this study; the three modified lenses focused on the understandings that participants and I co-constructed in the course of interviews (What We Construct), the language participants used to describe their perceptions of various approaches to in-school leadership (How They Describe), and the content of the personal narratives that participants shared as they described their experiences with, and perceptions of, in-school leadership approaches (What They Describe). In general, through the research, I found that teachers percieved the leadership approaches of in-school administrators as a powerful influence on the school climate and on their own professional practice, and that teachers have specific hopes an expectations for the role of in-school administrators. I conclude this research text by providing a number of recommendations for in-school administrators regarding their leadership approaches, based on participating teachers’ perceptions and experiences. Keywords: teachers; administrators; leadership; narrative inquiry
Open Access
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria: A Genealogical Inquiry into the Inferior Positioning of TVET
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2021-07) Olayele, Omosileola Ebun Olayele; Bockarie, Abu; Brown, Douglas; Steeves, Larry; Campbell, Shelagh; Quinlan, Kevin
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has a role to play in addressing unemployment and poverty; however, for too long, this sub-sector has been overlooked. Educators and policy makers in Nigeria often view TVET as a sub-sector for those who were incapable of pursuing academic programs; thus, resulting in TVET being viewed as low status by students and the public. In contrast, education and training in the old African society were very functional and met the needs of the society. A review of literature on traditional African education reveals that education in the old African society was vocational in nature. With Nigeria being a former British colony, and the country’s education system being one of the lasting legacies of the colonial administration, researchers have observed that Nigeria’s adoption of the British elitist education system set the country’s educational trajectory on a different path; one in which TVET is perceived poorly. This study examined the continuing influence of colonialism on Nigeria’s system of education. The study is a genealogical analysis of the TVET system in Nigeria. The conceptual framework for this study combined Human Capital Theory, Social Theory, and Postcolonial Theory with Foucauldian genealogy to explore the inferior positioning of TVET in Nigeria. Particularly, I explored the historical and discursive construction of TVET in Nigeria, as well as some of the reasons TVET in Nigeria has made slow progress from the time it was formalized to date. I examined specific historical documents on the development of education in Nigeria to identify those discontinuities that have occurred in the emergence of TVET in Nigeria; thus, creating its current reality. I examined how TVET is positioned within policy documents and note that the emphasis on intellectual training and pursuits, according to the colonial ii order at the expense of TVET, positions university education as the only route to building a successful career, thus, resulting in the poor image of TVET as inferior to university education. The study revealed that education policy and practice in Nigeria is dominated primarily by the politics of educational productivity. The most popular policy discussions interpret education as a kind of durable good that is expected to produce graduates who would function well in the labour market. This instrumental value of education in the labour market is based on human capital investment and draws on human capital theory. In addition to the accumulation of human capital, the study revealed education policy and practice appear to focus on the production and reproduction of social class structures, although the ‘Third Space’ debate in postcolonial theory might encourage the emergence of human agency due to the possibility of resistance and transformation in education policy and practice. The implications of the study for policy, practice, theory and further research, as well as the recommendations arising from it, are discussed.
Open Access
What are Grade Twelve Students Reading? Surveying Saskatchewan English Language Arts B30 Teachers
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-07) Holota, Carmen Lee; Mulholland, Valerie; Couros, Alec; Grande, Troni; Steeves, Larry
The purpose of this research study is to investigate how the recent English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum renewal has been adopted throughout Saskatchewan by looking specifically at the full-length texts taught in the ELA B30 course throughout 2014-2015, as a possible indicator. The basis of this research study stems from two prior Canadian studies: “The Constancy of the School ‘Canon’: A Survey of Texts used in Grade 10 English Language Arts in 2006 and 1996” by Mackey, Vermeer, Storie, and DeBlois (2012), as well as Allison Skerrett’s 2010 study, “Of Literary Import: A Case of Cross-National Similarities in the Secondary English Curriculum in the United States and Canada.” While these two studies are based in Alberta and Ontario, at the time of this research project, there is no information regarding what texts are commonly studied in Saskatchewan. This qualitative bounded case study draws upon mixed methods for data collection. ELA B30 teachers were surveyed on-line, and following that, ELA consultants and/or coordinators from a variety of Saskatchewan school divisions were interviewed. The focus was to learn, as an indicator, what full-length texts are used in ELA B30 and to further unpack how the curriculum renewal process occurred in Saskatchewan classrooms, and whether or not teachers felt supported to change their text selections. Teachers and coordinators found the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education support to be lacking in the implementation process of the curriculum renewal, and data from this research study revealed that full-length text selections are primarily dated, male-dominated, and reflect the voices of British or American male authors. To conclude, a case for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy is made for possible transformation of text selection and/or teaching of full-length texts. Key Words: curriculum, Saskatchewan, English Language Arts, case study, mixed methods, novels, full-length text, culturally responsive pedagogy.
Open Access
Young Elementary Students Perceptions on Disability and Difference
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2014-03) Haase, Cambri Valene; Thompson, Scott; Mulholland, Valerie; Lyons, Wanda; Steeves, Larry
Inclusion, the opportunity for all students to be educated together, is becoming the norm in many schools. As students are being placed in inclusive classroom, they are developing ideas around difference and disability. But what exactly are these students learning from this experience? This thesis examines my class of Grade 1 and 2 students’ perspectives on disability and difference. Through interviews with the students, observations and my own self-reflections two key themes emerged. Firstly, the students were unlikely to notice a difference of autism and just see a friend. Secondly, the students’ understanding of difference was derived from their own personal experience. It was also determined that effective inclusive practices are lead by teachers and educational assistants. The environment that teacher and assistants create can influence the academic and social success for all students. This environment may then also aid in all students understanding of disability and difference.