Jody L. Ware

Publication Date

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Cooper, Robb, 1951-

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Educational Administration and Services

LCSH

Early childhood education--Illinois--Planning--Case studies

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to uncover the environmental conditions and the processes that led to the development of an early childhood system in an Illinois public school district. This study involved a wide array of individuals representing community groups with competing interests and different orientations working together to create a community-based early childhood system. The research involved interviewing 17 individuals who had participated in creating the community-based early childhood system. The research process involved (a) interviewing, (b) coding, (c) identification of categories, (d) placement of units of analysis in the established categories and dimensions, and (e) theorizing and constructing from the data. This study uncovered two environmental conditions and five processes in creating the community-based early childhood system. Community leadership and the analysis of internal and external environment that resulted in the urgency for change were uncovered in this case. The five processes uncovered were (1) share vision and goals, (2) a continuum of communication, (3) the relational community, (4) long-term planning, and (5) unique synergy. The existence of the environmental conditions and the processes contributed to the success of creating a community-based early childhood system. Conclusions made in this study include (a) the presence of two environmental conditions and the five processes lead to the success of the community-based initiative; (b) community-based initiatives are more likely to succeed when four of the processes lead to unique synergy, the final process; and (c) organizations can function more efficiently and effectively by developing community-based initiatives.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [168]-175)

Extent

xi, 183 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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