For the Week 7 Case Study, you will review the W7 Case Study PDF located in the "Case Study Files". Upon thorough review of the case, you will then answer the six (6) questions below:

Build the management-research question hierarchy for this opportunity.

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

Evaluate the sampling strategy.

Evaluate the survey:

In terms of structure, what is the quality of this instrument? What improvements would you make?

In terms of measurement questions, are the chosen response strategies appropriate?

Does this instrument meet the needs summarized in the investigative questions noted in your management-research question hierarchy (question 1 above)?

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?

What role could GIS play in this analysis?

It is not sufficient to state your opinions; you must be able to:

demonstrate your understanding of the case study information by accurately explaining the relevant concepts

use the facts listed in the case study and the concepts in the textbook to draw your own conclusions

demonstrate exceptional critical thinking skills

apply the relevant concepts from the textbook chapters to the case study correctly

include facts from the case study to support your own position

Abstract

This case is about a multistage, communication study of teachers by Wittenberg Universitys 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. www.wittenberg.edu

>Background

Used with permission of Pamela S. Schindler 2001.

Ohio legislators recently implemented new standards for those wishing to teach within Ohios public and private schools. Teachers certified to teach in Ohio in 2002 or later will need to complete a masters degree before obtaining their second licen- sure renewal. New teachers, therefore, will have a five- to seven-year window to complete the masters 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 De- partment of Education Teacher Certification Standards, for the first time all profes- sional development activities must be tied to professional development plans cus- tomized by local school district goals. All such plans will be approved and moni- tored by Local Professional Development Committees. These LPDCs will look favorably on courses that fit local goals, which are increasingly motivated by student performance variances on standardized tests.

Wittenberg University is primarily a resident campus of 2,000 students affili- ated with the Lutheran Church in America. Located in central Ohio, Wittenberg is a comprehensive liberal arts institution with professional programs in education, busi- ness management, pre-med, and pre-law. It has been training teachers for more than 150 years and has earned a reputation for producing exceptional teachers for K12 programs. This high quality, as perceived by local teachers who supervise Wittenberg undergraduate field teaching experiences, is expected to be Wittenbergs greatest asset in pursuing the development of a masters program.

Wittenberg, historically, has not offered a graduate degree in education, but it has offered graduate degrees in its nationally recognized music program and, until the mid-1980s, in its theology program. Wittenberg sees the change in Ohio Teacher Certification Standards as an opportunity for its Center for Professional Develop- ment (WittCPD), a program of professional development courses designed to fulfill the continuing education requirements of teachers in the area.

Central Ohio is rich with high quality universities. Within a 30-minute drive of Wittenbergs campus, undergraduate teacher education programs can be found at Wright State University (WSU), the University of Dayton (UD), Urbana College,

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Mastering Teacher Leadership

Cedarville College, Wilberforce University, and Central State University. WSU and UD currently offer Master of Arts degrees in teaching. WSU offers continuing edu- cation programs that fulfill professional development programs.

Increased turnover is also expected to be a motivating factor contributing to increased enrollment in university development programs. Ohios schoolteacher turn- over is expected to increase due to the aging of the teacher population, incentive buyout programs designed to encourage aging teachers to retire, and the need to hire experienced teachers in the hard-to-fill math and science areas. With an aver- age 15 years teaching experience, Clark County schools have more than 900 certi- fied staff and hire 5060 new teachers each year. Springfield City schools have more than 800 certified staff and hired 119 teachers in 1997, 99 in 1998, and 118 in 1999.

>Research

The faculty of the education department, in concert with university adminis- trators, conducted a brainstorming session in early fall 1998 to identify university resources that might contribute to a masters program in education. This was fol- lowed by a retreat with an Ohio Department of Education consultant, who reiter- ated the advantages of a liberal arts-based program in the ongoing preparation of K12 teachers.

To further explore the opportunity for offering a Master of Arts degree in Classroom Leadership, WittCPD conducted three focus groups: two with Spring- field City district teachers and one with local school superintendents. Both groups were positive about the likelihood of a program customized to the needs of the

various content

research foundation for both curriculum and instruction.

Address classroom management issues of student social skills, moral edu-

cation, and discipline.

Provide a framework for teachers to learn to collaborate with other teach-

ers and with community professionals.

In the spring of 1999, Education faculty associated with the WittCPD drafted a market survey and mailed it to 2,000 practicing teachers in a four-county area. Each of the 1,600 teachers in Clark County, Wittenbergs home county, received a questionnaire, with the remaining 400 surveys delivered to a systematic sample teaching in the outlying counties of Green, Montgomery, and Champaign. By September 1, 1999, 763 teachers had returned their surveys (31.8 percent response), of which 53.8 percent of respondents had completed or were enrolled in degree programs beyond the bachelors level.

local school districts. Additionally, they provided direction for the desired

and orientation of an effective program. Such a program would need to:

Deal with the diverse cognitive and social needs of students.

Emphasize technological literacy for both teachers and students.

Emphasize both program and classroom assessment by providing a sound

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>Discussion

>Initial Results

Out of 763 teachers, 21.2 percent said they definitely would enroll, with an addi- tional 57.7 percent who might enroll, citing professional requirements, professional advancement, or keeping their certification as the three primary reasons for enroll- ing. Those who expressed a lack of interest in a Master of Arts program at Wittenberg claimed as three obstacles the anticipated high cost, their holding a current masters degree, or family responsibilities.

In order for the Wittenberg Board of Directors to approve offering of the new degree program, the program needs to continue the liberal arts tradition and strengthen the undergraduate teacher education program, as high quality under- graduate education is seen as part of Wittenbergs primary mission. Additionally, new academic initiatives such as the one proposed are increasingly asked by the board to reach break-even within their first operating year.