Educational Leadership Commons^™

How Decision Makers Learn To Choose Organizational Performance Measures, Annemarie N. Hooge

Theses & Dissertations

This study, framed by decision making, program theory, and performance measurement theory, explored the knowledge and experience that enable decision makers to identify organizational performance measures. It used a mixed method, exploratory sequential research design to discover the experience, knowledge, and skills (EKS) senior decision makers felt were important in learning to choose organizational performance measures. From the analyzed interviews, a survey was designed to measure the importance of the EKS characteristics. Qualitative analysis identified 55 life, work, or educational experience; knowledge; or skill characteristics and 23 effective measure characteristics. Regression analysis and PCA were used to extract 6 components ...

Dropped In Without A Parachute: Library Managers’ Supervision Experiences, Simon Funge, Audrey Robinson-Nkongola, Laura Delancey, Austin G. Griffiths

Laura DeLancey

A survey of U.S. library managers explored the relationship between their social identities, experiences supervising others, support from others, and their overall satisfaction in their professional role. The literature provides evidence that demographic differences give rise to challenges in the workplace. Though no statistically significant differences were found between minority and nonminority managers related to supervisees' microaggressive behaviors, written commentary provided evidence of these and other supervision challenges. A regression analysis found that supervisees' behaviors, along with a manager's age, were significant predictors of their satisfaction as a supervisor. Recommendations for further research and implications for libraries emerge ...

Dropped In Without A Parachute: Library Managers’ Supervision Experiences, Simon Funge, Audrey Robinson-Nkongola, Laura Delancey, Austin G. Griffiths

Austin Griffiths

A survey of U.S. library managers explored the relationship between their social identities, experiences supervising others, support from others, and their overall satisfaction in their professional role. The literature provides evidence that demographic differences give rise to challenges in the workplace. Though no statistically significant differences were found between minority and nonminority managers related to supervisees' microaggressive behaviors, written commentary provided evidence of these and other supervision challenges. A regression analysis found that supervisees' behaviors, along with a manager's age, were significant predictors of their satisfaction as a supervisor. Recommendations for further research and implications for libraries emerge ...

Arts Education Funding, Annette M. Vargas

Contemporary Issues in Educational Leadership

Student access to arts education, and the quality of such instruction in the nation’s public schools, continue to be of concern to policymakers, educators, and families. Specifically, research has focused on the questions: To what extent do students receive instruction in the arts? Under what conditions is the instruction provided? The passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was a significant move by the Senate, as they had not considered K-12 public education legislation on the Senate floor since 2001. Under this federal law, the arts are included as part of a “well-rounded education” requiring that the arts ...

Peer Research Mentors At Gettysburg College: Transforming Student Library Jobs Into High-Impact Learning Experiences, Clinton K. Baugess, Mallory R. Jallas, Meggan D. Smith, Janelle Wertzberger

Janelle Wertzberger

Research and Instruction librarians at Gettysburg College developed a Peer Research Mentor (PRM) program for undergraduate students. The program is designed to empower a group of student employees to work in partnership with experienced librarians in order to increase a PRM’s own research skills and support other student researchers more effectively. The program focuses on student training, reference service, and outreach to other students. The authors share the development of the program; describe their approach to training, supervision, and assessment; and offer insight about how to operate and sustain a similar program with limited resources.

Teacher Passion As A Teaching Tool, Brent L. Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to understand how passion is used by participating teachers at Hugo High School and if its use is intentional in the classroom. A qualitative research design was used for this study. The case study was determined to be the most appropriate method for this research because it provided an opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the research topic. This study used Fried’s definition of passion as one who is “in love with a field of knowledge, deeply stirred by issues and ideas that challenge our world, drawn to the dilemmas ...

A Phenomenological Study On The Motivating Factors Influencing Participation In Tennessee’S Governor’S Academy For School Leadership, Amy B. Horton Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational administration is such a demanding field, so it is important to understand why an aspiring principal would self-select to commit to an optional yearlong, intensive professional development activity with very little compensation and no promotion. Motivation may prove to be a key component of the recruitment and sustainability of professional development activities. By discovering the factors affecting both personal and professional motivation of beginning administrators to participate in a professional development led by the collaboration among the Tennessee Department of Education, Vanderbilt University, and Governor Bill Haslam, the researcher hopes to gain an understanding that may apply to future ...

New Faculty Mentoring In Respiratory Care Programs, Kristen L. Mchenry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of the potential age-related mass departure of seasoned educators in respiratory care programs, higher education institutions should develop strategies for attracting practitioners who hold or are pursuing graduate degrees to transition to academia. The purpose of this study was to identify current mentoring practices of new faculty members in Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited respiratory care programs in the U.S. and to identify the perceptions of program directors regarding the observed impact of program mentoring practices.

The methodology for the study was quantitative nonexperimental survey research. The survey instrument was an electronic questionnaire. The survey ...

Cyberbullying Incidents Among African American Female Middle School Students, Yvette Pennington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent research has shown an increase in cyber bullying acts against middle and high school students. The National Center of Education Statistics (2010) reported that cyberbullying incidents increased 73% between the years of 2007 and 2009. In 2011, 75% of cyberbullying victims were adolescents (National Center of Education Statistics, 2013). Using data collected from the Pew Research and American Life Project, the study examined the prevalence of cyber bullying acts against African American female adolescents compared to Caucasian male and female adolescents and African American male adolescents. Additionally, the study reported the cyber bullying incident that occurred most frequently as ...

The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model And The Teacher Instructional Growth For Effectiveness And Results Model On Measures Of Teacher Effectiveness: A Comparative Study, Nichole R. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare measures of teacher effectiveness between two different Tennessee teacher evaluation models. The two teacher evaluation models compared were the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) and the Teacher Instructional Growth for Effectiveness and Results Model (TIGER). The measures of teacher effectiveness used were final observation scores and individual value-added growth (TVAAS) scores. The relationship between observation scores and growth scores were also compared for the two different evaluation models. There were four guiding research questions and corresponding null hypotheses. Data were provided from participating school systems. The sample for this study included ...

Homework Practices: Teacher And Parent Perceptions Of Efficacy And Purpose, Christy E. Hoeke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness and homework purpose. Specifically, the researcher examined teacher and parent perceptions, perceptions of teachers in different grade level bands, and perceptions of teachers with different levels of experience. In this nonexperimental quantitative study, the researcher examined and analyzed the answers provided on an anonymous survey (Appendix A) provided electronically to educators and parents of students in five school systems in northeast Tennessee.

Parents had a higher perception of both homework effectiveness and homework purpose. Homework effectiveness was perceived as higher by the “other” group (not ...

Perceived Value Of Higher Education Among Police Officers, Bradley D. Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether police officers perceive higher education to be important in improving their job performance and promotional opportunities, whether the perception of higher education varied by several independent variables, and the types of suggestions that officers might have for improving the college curriculum. Independent variables included gender, age, level of education, type of police agency, academic major, years of service as a police officer, and job duty. The dependent variable was scores on 3 dimensions: general attitude toward higher education, perceived utility of a criminal justice related degree, and career-related competencies.

A 34- ...

Academic Dishonesty In Higher Education: Perceptions And Opinions Of Undergraduates, Stanley K. Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if statistically significant differences existed between identified student demographic characteristics (gender and age), academic variables (classification, GPA, and major), and students’ perceptions of academic dishonesty, as measured by the Attitudes and Perceptions of Academic Dishonesty survey.

A pen-and-paper survey was used to gather the data at the 3 participating universities and college (a 4-year public university, a 4-year private university, and a 2-year public community college). There were 22 items on the survey. There were 328 surveys distributed by the investigator to participating classes at the 3 institutions of higher education. All ...

The Perceptions Of Father Involvement In Elementary Schools, Myles J. Hebrard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of father involvement in elementary schools. The focus of the study was to allow the researcher to develop a greater understanding of perceptions of father involvement, from both a father and teacher perspective. Data was collected from teachers and fathers through surveys and interviews. Specific content areas of the father survey included communication, activities fathers engaged in, training opportunities provided at the school, parent conferences, when events were offered, availability, and suggestions for school staff. Specific content areas of the teacher survey included communication, activities fathers engaged in, training ...

Perceptions Of Teachers On Their Preparedness To Teach Students In Low-Income Urban Charter Schools In New Jersey, Kimberly S. Wright

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This dissertation explores how novice teachers currently working in low-income urban charter schools in New Jersey perceive their specific preparation to work in a low-income urban charter school classroom, prior to doing so. In this qualitative study, a semistructured interview was used in an effort to assess the preparedness of 18 teachers based on their preservice training, administrative support and mentor guidance, and their self-efficacy and level of cultural awareness. The framework used for this study was Herzberg’s theory of motivation. Herzberg’s theory in combination with scholarly literature surrounding novice teachers in low-income urban classrooms produced success factors ...

Principal And Instructional Coach Partnerships For Instructional Leadership: A Case Study Of Interactions And Teacher Perceptions, Sharron Helmke

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined conversations and interactions between an intermediate school principal and a team of content specific instructional coaches to investigate the presence of shared instructional leadership and how the interactions and responses of the two actors might support teachers’ professional growth and refinement of instructional practices. An initial interview with the campus principal was used to establish her goals for instructional leadership. Over a six-week period, these goals were tracked through observations and coding of weekly meetings between the principal and coaches and then traced through the coaches’ work with teachers. Findings indicated that the principal was ...

Public Education Fuels The Debate: Academic Outcomes Of Students Socially Promoted From Eighth Grade To High School, Lisa Janosik

All Theses And Dissertations

Using archival data, this cross-sectional, descriptive study investigated the path of core course enrollment and completion of middle school students socially promoted from eighth grade to high school in a small, urban school district during 2008 to 2012. Supported by research surrounding the development of public education, the debate of retention versus social promotion, and adolescent development, this study delved into social promotion and whether it was an equitable and socially-just educational practice. Though this study quantitatively portrayed a positive outcome for students socially promoted from middle school, the data also showed that a majority of these students continued to ...

Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives On The Use Of Telehealth As A Delivery Method For Healthcare Services, Holly Wasserman

All Theses And Dissertations

The use of telehealth for healthcare delivery is on the rise and is expected to increase due to the expansion of technological advances and the shortage of healthcare professionals to serve rural and remote communities. The use of telehealth by occupational therapists (OT) is relatively new, and it is unknown whether educational programs are adequately preparing OT students to practice in this context or if OT faculty members are adequately trained to deliver this content to their students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine how faculty members teaching in a master’s level occupational therapy ...

Teaching And Learning Courageous Followership: An Action Research Study, Karen Walker Schwab

Theses & Dissertations

Followership has been shown to be a developmental stage of leadership. Yet, there is a lack of followership theory in the health-care context. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore how introducing Chaleff’s dimensions of courageous followership influences the undergraduate nursing students’ views of the follower role and informs their nursing practice. Secondary research questions asked how knowledge of these dimensions influences the nursing students’ views while advocating, collaborating, and addressing lateral violence. Using purposeful sampling, 12 participants were recruited for this study. After attending a followership seminar, they completed online reflections and participated in ...

Middle School Engagement Benefits Of Offering Extracurricular Activities During The School Day, Angela Coffman Ringley

All Theses And Dissertations

Extracurricular activities are a significant part of the school experience for many students, but there are concerns about the demands placed on students and the overscheduling of their after-school time. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine longitudinal middle school student outcomes based on one school’s efforts to provide the benefits of extracurricular activities by offering those activities during the regular school day. This study explored the nature of the relationship between middle school, school-based extracurricular participation and subsequent student views of school connection. The study was conducted in an independent, private, Pre-K through 12th grade ...