Date of Award

Fall 12-2011

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Chair

Michael E. Ward

Committee Chair Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Member 2

Tammy F. Greer

Committee Member 2 Department

Psychology

Committee Member 3

David E. Lee

Committee Member 3 Department

Educational Studies and Research

Committee Member 4

Wanda S. Maulding

Committee Member 4 Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Abstract

Education reform has required school administrators to become instructional leaders that ensure teacher effectiveness and academic success for all students. Classroom walkthroughs are one way that instructional leaders can accomplish this task. This study examined the level of importance that principals place on the practice of classroom walkthroughs and on specific elements of classroom walkthroughs; it further explored the relationships among perceptions about classroom walkthroughs and student achievement, school performance levels (AYP), and socio-economic status (SES) of the school.

This was a quantitative study that utilized survey methodology, archival data and correlational analyses to identify the relationships among principals‟ perceptions of the importance of the practice of classroom walkthroughs and school socio-economic status, school performance level and student achievement. Participants were identified through a convenience sample of elementary school principals from three metro-area school districts in a Southeastern state that included both metropolitan and suburban communities. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson product-moment correlation and hierarchal multiple regression. SSPS was used to determine the statistical relationships among the variables.

The study revealed that principals value the practices associated with classroom walkthroughs. Significant relationships were not identified among the importance principals place on classroom walkthrough design, SES, AYP or student achievement, or among the relative importance principals place on classroom walkthroughs and SES or AYP. This study identified a significant relationship between the perceived importance of classroom walkthroughs relative to administrative duties of building student, family and community relations and student achievement.

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