Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Dissertation

Keywords

School violence--Prevention; Teachers--Training of; School principals--Training of;

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' and principals' perceptions of violence prevention training in Iowa's public secondary schools. The perceived level of danger, the actual amount of violence prevention training, the desired amount of violence prevention training, and the discrepancy between actual and desired amounts of violence prevention training were identified for 11 types of school violence. Additionally, the relationship between the size of community and each discrepancy was examined.

Five research questions were utilized with a quantitative research approach. A survey instrument was mailed to 480 public secondary school teachers and 120 public secondary school principals within Iowa. The sample included 240 rural teachers, 240 urban teachers, 60 rural principals, and 60 urban principals. The final sample included 477 responses which represented a return rate of 80%.

Statistical tests were conducted at the .05 level of significance. Respondent's perceived level of danger, actual amount of training, and desired amount of training were examined using a three point response scale. Means were compared and effect sizes computed. Discriminant analysis measured the extent to which the size of community could be distinguished by discrepancy levels.

Teachers and principals reported a low potential for danger from all categories of school violence. Principal respondents perceived that there is significantly less danger from Verbally Hostile Students than teacher respondents.

The actual amount of violence prevention training for all categories of school violence was perceived to be low. Principals felt that they provided significantly more training than teachers perceived they received. Verbally Hostile Students and Gang Related Activities were the categories which teachers and principals reported the greatest amount of training. Teachers and principals desired similar levels of training. Verbally Hostile Students was the most highly desired violence prevention training topic.

Teachers and principals reported significant dissatisfaction with current levels of training for 8 of the 11 types of training. Teachers desired significantly more training than they had already received for Verbally Hostile Students than principals perceived that they had yet to provide. Responses from rural and urban schools were discriminated by discrepancies between actual and desired levels of training.

Year of Submission

1998

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Counseling

First Advisor

Robert Decker, Chair

Date Original

12-1998

Object Description

1 PDF file (vi, 93 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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