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Comparing Student Stage Of Reflective Judgment Between Junior And Senior Academic Standing, Randall C. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study investigated reflective judgment scores of students enrolled in business-related programs of study with junior and senior academic standing from institutions of higher education accredited by the Council of Higher Education in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States during Fall 2011, Spring 2012 and Summer 2012 semesters. Data were collected from students using a self-administered electronic questionnaire. Student reflective judgment scores were determined by employing the Reasoning about Critical Issues (RCI) questionnaire, a proprietary instrument. Eighty-seven students completed all components of the questionnaire to enable a reflective judgment score to be determined. On average, senior respondents in this …

A Motivated Workforce: A Mixed Methods Study Of Worker Motivation At A Nebraska Manufacturing Company, Kevin Wesley

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The study of worker motivation and human motivation in general, has been the focus of psychologists, sociologists, behavioral scientists, and leadership theorists for more than a century. An understanding of the factors that motivate workers is critical not only to corporate executives who concentrate on the bottom line, but more importantly to the security of our nation as it relates to competing in the global market. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to examine worker motivation in a Nebraska manufacturing company. A pragmatist worldview informs the convergent parallel design of this study, which consists of a qualitative strand using …

Principal Leadership And The Colorado Innovation Schools Act Of 2008, Margaret A. Walsh

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of principals whose schools were granted innovation status in accordance with the Colorado Innovation Schools Act of 2008 (CISA). The CISA created a statewide system that allowed individual schools and entire districts to increase autonomy and flexibility in areas such as staffing, scheduling, educational programming, and resource allocation. The data were collected from interviews with principals and a rural superintendent and from an examination of the School Innovation Plans. Data were refined into common themes, and a rich narrative was created. The conclusions indicated that successful principals …

Unlocking Students' Perspectives Of Leadership, Jonathan Damiani

Teaching and Leadership - Dissertations

The need for principals to have the time and tools to focus on instruction and student learning has continued to intensify. At the same time, the incongruence between what principals want to do instructionally and have time to do, creates dire consequences for school leaders and their work in making a difference in schools regarding staff and student improvement.

This study examines whether and how principals take their lead from students, and use student voice, to create more responsive schools, and more responsible models of leadership. In order to describe and explain whether and how principals have used students' perspectives …

Equity And Charter Schools In Public Education, James Bradford Every

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Experiences Of Successful First-Generation College Students At Selected Community Colleges, Jennifer Ann Waters

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to examine how successful FGCS in community colleges addressed challenges they face in order to complete their degree programs. This study was based upon Titno's (1993) Model of Student Departure and explored what methods and programs were most beneficial in helping FGCS overcome the challenges they faced as they worked on their degrees. This study explored each of the three categories discussed: (a) responsive social support; (b) financial preparation and acquisition; and (c) proactive academic preparation and encouragement through the use of semi-structured individual interviews. A more thorough understanding of how to assist FGCS …

Superintendent Leadership During Economic Austerity: A Multiple Case Study, Douglas Paul Finch

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In contrast with recent decades of economic growth and stability, today's education funding landscape appears to be entrenched in a pattern of diminishing financial resources that may persist for a number of years. This is occurring also amid unprecedented efforts by lawmakers and public officials to intervene in school reform work. School leaders, specifically superintendents of the public school districts, are expected to make difficult leadership decisions in cutting back and downsizing the district organization while still maintaining an innovative and positive environment in schools. The effective leader must be well informed of best practices in positively influencing critical determinants …

School Reform: Where Does Policy Come From? Where Should It Go?, Kim Karman Friel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Policy analysis helps to develop a greater understanding of societal problems and provide possible solutions for elected and non-elected government decision makers. Ultimately, the product of analysis is advice relating to public decisions and informed by social values. In light of the pressures placed on education by policy-makers concerning implementation of educational reform there are surprisingly few studies concerning the changing role of the federal government from a historical perspective. Looking at the past, with the present in mind, reminds us that the current shape of education was not inevitable.

This qualitative dissertation study analyzes the evolution of the intentions …

The Leadership Orientations And Effectiveness Of College And University Career Services Directors, Jacob A. Livengood

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Career service directors lead the third most common division within student affairs departments, but the leadership of a collegiate career services office has not been represented in higher education research. Obtaining a "good job" has consistently been noted as a main reason to attend college (Pryor, Hurtado, Saenz, Santos & Korn, 2007). The rising costs of higher education have also yielded the question, "What can college do for me?" financially and with future career opportunities (Baum & Payea, 2005; Moretti, 2004; Pryor, Hurtado, Saenz, Santos & Korn, 2007; Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 2009). The functions of career services …

A Study Of District Leadership Practices In The Principal Professional Learning Community, Danielle Grace Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This qualitative study was implemented in an urban, Title I school district in the southern portion of the United States. The problem the study addressed was that the various phenomena pertaining to the implementation of the principal professional learning community (PPLC), as perceived by the 14 participating elementary school principals, had not been examined to determine their influence. Qualitative data were acquired from the principals through personal interviews.

Findings suggested that, with the regular opportunities for principals to share ideas and thoughts with their colleagues, PPLC participants perceived improved performance involving (a) the attributes of high skillfulness and high participation …

Leading Transformational Change In A Large Urban School District, Leslie Jean Brinks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This abstract reflects the findings of the understanding of the skills necessary to lead transformative change in a non-affluent neighborhood in a large urban district. Current research and understandings of transformative leadership has been limited to traits and organizational concepts rather than the work associated with transforming schools. Studies seldom addressed if leaders even valued the actions central to transformative work or if they have the capacity and expertise to do the task. The purpose of this study was to understand the kinds of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that support what is viewed as transformative leading. Additionally the inquiry probed …

School Leadership Readiness: Traditional Vs. Online Administrative Preparation, Jose Delfin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the National Center of Educational Statistics (2006-2007) report, 92% of two and four-year Title IV degree-granting postsecondary institutions offered distance education courses due to students' demand for flexible scheduling. That same report cited that 82% of those institutions were seeking to increase student enrollment via distance education. There is little empirical research that pertain to the topic of degrees earned through online, or hybrid methods that have any bearing on job preparedness for past, present, and future educational leadership candidates. For all concerned, online programs are here to stay. Arguably, online courses are fast becoming the norm rather …

The Motivating Language Of Principals: A Sequential Transformative Strategy, William Tobias Holmes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study implemented a Sequential Transformative Mixed Methods design with teachers (as recipients) and principals (to give voice) in the examination of principal talk in two different school accountability contexts (Continuously Improving and Continuously Zigzag) using the conceptual framework of Motivating Language Theory. In phase one, teachers were surveyed using the ML Toolbox. The survey was administered using the Dillman Tailored Design Method, and the return rate was 67.48%. The major findings that emerged were: (a) significant differences in Motivating Language (ML), Direction-Giving Language (DG), Empathetic Language (E), and Communication Competence (CC) variables between the Continuously Improving and Zigzag Clusters; …

The University As A Gendered Organization: Effects On Management Type, Climate And Job Satisfaction, Margaret E. Crowder

Dissertations

Numbers of women holding faculty positions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain low in university systems, despite gains women have made in achievement of advanced degrees. No one reason is clearly the culprit for the low numbers, though women in STEM have been shown to have more negative perceptions of climate, be more dissatisfied with their jobs, and have greater inclination to leave their positions than men.

As males comprise a majority of STEM employees, the masculine-genderedness of these organizations may create a more dissatisfactory work environment for women. This may, in turn, have negative impact on the …

A Journey Of Transformation : A Reflective Recount Of The Evolution Of Akes,P, Sadrudin Pardhan, Aien Shah, Samina Saad, Karim Panah, Mir Zaman, Khadija Khan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper presents an overall picture of the evolution of the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P) over a century. Reaching out to the remotest areas of Pakistan, AKES,P, has been providing quality education for over a hundred years. The first school of AKES,P, was established in 1905 in Gwadar, Balochistan. Over a century later, AKES,P, now operates 179 schools and 5 hostels in Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Punjab and Sindh, mostly in rural areas. These represent very diverse schools, ranging from a rural school with less than 30 children to a large urban school with over 3000 children. AKES,P, places special …

Hidden Strength: Encouraging Spiritual Leadership Attributes Among School Leaders, Sherwood Thompson

Sherwood Thompson

Today, district and school leaders are being recognized for their contributions to improving schools and enhancing student achievement, and this recognition is coming at a pivotal time in the evolution of education in the United States. The need to educate a new generation of learners that are capable of transforming the United States is paramount. Each state has a responsibility to provide the best education it can to its population. Kentucky has made great strides with its education reforms. The state’s alignment of Senate Bill 1 Core Academic Standards with the national Common Core Standards offers great promise (Holliday, 2012). …

Instructional Leadership For Middle School Students With Disabilities In The General Education Classroom: The Role Of The Principal, Jeremy M. Lynch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Instructional leadership is the most important responsibility of today's principal, and no other group of students is in need of an effective instructional leader more than students with disabilities. Effective instructional leaders, especially for students with disabilities, create a supportive learning environment and school culture that promotes the education of all students. Furthermore, effective instructional leaders are knowledgeable of effective instructional strategies and promote the use of such strategies by communicating with and supervising educators. The purpose of this multiple case study was to provide a detailed description of instructional leadership for students with disabilities in an average school system …

Leadership Dispositions And Skills For Ethnically Diverse Schools, Jeanne L. Surface, Peter J. Smith, Kay Anne Keiser, Karen L. Hayes

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Quality educational leadership is especially critical today in the era of school improvement, student achievement, and teacher accountability. Leaders help meet ever-changing contexts and opportunities. Senge (1990) observed, “The new view of leadership in learning organizations centers on subtler and more important tasks. In learning organizations, leaders are designers, stewards, and teachers” (p. 340).

In addition to these new leadership challenges, this is a time when school resources—human as well as financial--are limited not only in PK-12 schools but to universities as well (Price, 2008). While American educators today are serving an increasingly diverse community, educators are still predominately middle-class, …

Practitioners Or Researchers: Ed.D. Or Ph.D.? An Analysis Of Educational Leadership Doctoral Programs, Michael Dwyane Kennedy Jr.

Dissertations

This mostly descriptive study was conducted to analyze differences in doctoral degrees in educational leadership programs across the United States based on U.S. News and World Report (2011) rankings for Graduate Schools of Education. Specifically, this study explored admission, program, and final requirements as well as curriculum and faculty roles to determine the trends that have been evolving, increasing, decreasing, or remaining consistent in certain schools of the United States since the release of the Levine study of educational leadership programs in 2005. Five groups were used: 1) higher ranked 20; 2) lower ranked 20 graduate education schools; 3) top …

A Study Of Best Practices For The Recruitment And Retention Of Resident Directors, Patricia L. Cendana

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A resident director is an entry-level, student affairs professional staff member that resides within a college or university residence hall. The resident director provides developmental experiences for students who live in on-campus housing. The resident director interacts with students around the clock throughout the semester. Unlike other entry-level professional staff, who return to the sanctity of their home at the end of the work day, the resident director's responsibilities for the welfare of their students do not end until the semester is over and the students have moved out. Resident directors assume responsibility for insuring that all residential needs, in …

Through The Eyes Of Higher Education Attorneys: How Department Chairs Are Navigating The Waters Of Legal Issues And Risk Management, Carol L.J. Hustoles

Dissertations

Legal and risk management issues substantially impact the operations of colleges and universities, which face escalating compliance requirements in an increasingly litigious environment. Failing to assess legal liability issues and to constructively address them with risk management processes create vulnerability to claims and litigation, stretching limited institutional resources. Yet research studies are scarce on this topic.

This study used an online survey to obtain input from higher education attorneys across the U.S. regarding their perceptions of frequency and time spent on legal assistance for department chairpersons, chairs’ level of difficulty handling legal and risk management issues, matters having highest adverse …

Factors Affecting Peer Tutoring Programs In Higher Education As Perceived By Administrators, Debbi J. Pariser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study examined a) institutional factors that administrators see as facilitating peer tutoring programs and b) institutional factors that administrators see as forming barriers to peer tutoring programs. In addition, a comparison was made of administrators' perceptions based on the following institutional demographic factors: department affiliation, enrollment, highest degree awarded, and Carnegie classification. The data were collected through an electronic survey instrument, Administrative and Faculty Factors that Contribute to the Institutionalization of Peer Tutoring in Higher Education, developed specifically for this study and based on the work of Dr. Anthony Pina (2005, 2008a, 2008b), who studied the institutionalization of distance …

The Use Of Concept Mapping/Pattern Matching To Determine The Content Domain For Information Literacy In Baccalaureate Education, Eleanor M. Messman-Mandicott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study assessed the relevance of a national association's standards for developing information literacy competency in undergraduate students at a mid-sized, regional university in Maryland. Key stakeholders responsible for ensuring student success in achieving information literacy competency at the institution were solicited for their expertise to identify the outcomes they consider to indicate information literacy competency. The group of 14 participants included six faculty, three librarians, three student affairs professionals, and two students. Trochim's Concept Mapping/Pattern Matching methodology was used for gathering and analyzing the data to conceptualize the domain of information literacy competencies. The key stakeholders generated 80 student …

Principal Change Facilitator Style And Student Achievement: A Study Of Schools In The Middle, Steven Keith Stewart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research reflecting the influence of leadership in middle level schools related to improving student achievement is scarce in spite of the pressure placed on schools by federal mandates and policies, such as NCLB, to reach ever-increasing levels of achievement. Although there is extensive literature on leadership and its possible influence on climate and culture, teacher efficacy, vision and goals of schools, and instruction, most of these topics are considered indirectly linked to student achievement. Few, if any, of these studies touch on the specific nature of middle level schools and how principal leadership might influence improved student achievement.

This quantitative …

A Qualitative Study: Understanding The Value Of Formal Leadership Preparation Programs To Novice Principals, Marty Kent Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand the value of formal leadership preparation programs as described by novice principals. The study focused on the lived experiences of the eight principals and their reflection of their formal leadership preparation experiences as they transitioned into the role of principal. Through a series of semi-structured interview questions, individual responses revealed leadership preparation experiences were beneficial and highly valued by novice principals. Formal experiences such as internships, mentoring relationships, shadowing experiences and educational leadership coursework were described as building blocks for novice principals. The results of this study state that leaders …

Leadership Orientations Of Female School Superintendents: A Multidimensional Framework Perspective, Patricia Susan Tillman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As school districts struggle to find qualified superintendents to lead their systems to meet recent high-stakes accountability measures, it has been noted throughout history that few females attain this position, both nationally and in the state of Georgia. The organizational leadership behaviors of these administrators have been abundantly scrutinized in research; however, much of this research has been limited to the white male population. The primary purpose of this study was to describe to what extent female superintendents in Georgia exhibit leadership behaviors within Bolman and Deal's (2008) four organizational frames. A secondary purpose of this study was to create …

Problems And Issues In Implementing Innovative Curriculum In The Developing Countries: The Pakistani Experience, Syeda Kauser Ali, Lubna A. Baig

Department for Educational Development

Background: The Government of Pakistan identified 4 medical Colleges for introduction of COME, one from each province. Curriculum was prepared by the faculty of these colleges and launched in 2001 and despite concerted efforts could not be implemented. The purpose of this research was to identify the reasons for delay in implementation of the COME curriculum and to assess the understanding of the stakeholders about COME.

Methods: Mixed methods study design was used for data collection. In-depth interviews, mail-in survey questionnaire, and focus group discussions were held with the representatives of federal and provincial governments, Principals of medical colleges, faculty …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Special Educator Induction Programs In A Low Attrition District, Jeremy Vittek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Special education teacher attrition is a growing problem in the United States (Payne, 2005). Without proper induction for early career special educators, the potential remains for these educators to leave the field at a rate twice that of their general education counterparts (Payne, 2005). The lack of a defined national or state policy on induction programs puts the responsibility on the school district to design and implement an induction program. The goal of the study was to provide empirical insight into the stakeholders' perceptions of the challenges and supports provided for beginning special educators in a low attrition district within …

Empowering Teachers: Characteristics, Strategies, And Practices Of Successful Principals, Cailin Patrice Ellis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study implemented an exploratory mixed-methods design to better understand how the characteristics of a principal, specifically the strategies, behaviors, and actions, lead to the perception of empowerment as perceived by the teachers themselves.

An expert panel identified three highly successful principals assigned to elementary schools within a large urban district. Each was the principal of the school for a minimum of 4 years that utilized and sustained a shared-governance structure. Site observations at the schools, as evidenced by principal supervisors, indicated a successful governance structure, strong educational focus, and a sustained data-driven design for school improvement.

The teachers at …

Leadership Practice In Elementary School Dual Language Programs: A Collective Case Study, Joanie K. Monroy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research in effective programming for English language learners has demonstrated the efficacy of dual language education as a model for closing persistent achievement gaps for this growing population of students. With goals of high academic achievement, linguistic proficiency in two languages, and cross-cultural proficiency, dual language education is an enrichment model of education that eschews the deficit thinking often associated with language-minority students. Based on the promise of enriched education for all participants, the number of dual language programs is increasing nationwide. As districts across the United States plan for the implementation of dual language programs, identifying effective leadership practices …