When Good Intentions Aren't Good Enough: Dismantling Colonial Praxis In Educational Leadership, Peter Francis Barron

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Addressing the inequitable educational outcomes of Indigenous students in K-12 education in Alberta is a moral imperative, a mandate of the provincial government and a response to Call to Action #10 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This dissertation-in-practice, viewed through the lens of critical theory, interrogates systemic barriers within Three Bear Hills School Division (a pseudonym) that hinder Indigenous students' graduation and post-secondary transition rates. Indigenous students in K-12 education are adversely impacted by the influence of settler colonialism on leadership praxis, as evidenced by the achievement gap discourse, deficit thinking, and unconscious bias. These factors lead to the …

Remote Leadership, Centralization, And Paternalism: Leveraging Shared Leadership To Address Issues Of Autonomy Within The Political Jungle Of A Dual-Campus University, Christopher Glover

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

It is commonplace in higher education for universities to have multiple campuses, as they face growing pressures to increase enrolment and maintain the viability of their complex organizations. In speaking to this complexity, universities are often described as more of political jungles than a purely collegial environment or rigid bureaucracy. It is within this environment that decisions are made regarding an institution’s policies, administrative structure, and processes. As universities add more campuses, the level of intricacy of their operations increases. This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) identifies a lack of autonomy on a satellite campus within a dual-campus university struggling to achieve its …

No Longer Eating Their Young, But Eating Their Own: Developing Capacity To Decrease Lateral Aggression Among Nurses And Leaders, Janny Proba

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Nursing is generally known as a profession of caring. The public identifies these professionals as one of the most trusted roles in a healthcare setting. Despite this, many behaviours contradict this paradigm. These uncivil behaviours may be overt or subtle, but they are contributing to a psychologically unsafe environment where nursing instability and increased turnover threaten the ability to provide competent care for current and future patients. The nursing literature often refers to the term, eating their young, to summarize a harmful concept where experienced nurses neglect, betray, or belittle junior nurses who are in need of support from …

Toward Inclusive Excellence: Forging Inclusive Police Organizations Through Leadership Training And Development, Tiffany A. Castell

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Over the last several years, social and political events both in Canada and abroad, have resulted in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) being brought to the forefront in society, and intensifying calls for police reform. Police organizations, like many others, have responded with a greater commitment to address these issues through things like DEI training, policy changes, and targeted recruitment of diverse employees. However, these efforts have failed to yield the desired change. Due to the tendency in police organizations to provide leadership training after employees have entered senior leadership positions, as well as the tendency to …

Niinwi-Kiinwa-Kiinwi: The Path To Reconcialtion, Decolonization And Pursuing Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing) Pedagogy In A Faith-Based Organization, Nicole L. Brouwer

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In the context of an educational space, reconciliation, decolonization and pursuing Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing) takes place across three dimensions: classroom resources, curriculum delivery and assessment practices. In my context at North Urban School (a pseudonym), a fourth dimension is present. That is, how the process of reconciliation, decolonization and pursuing Etuaptmumk fits within a faith-based organization. While embarking on the reconciliation, decolonization and pursuing Etuaptmumk journey, I am mindful of the advice given by The Honourable Mr. Justice Murray Sinclair, who notes that; there should be no change about us, without us. This is in line with the concept of …

Homeschooling And Publicly Funded Education - Achieving The Best Of Both Worlds, Thomas D'Amico

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) provides a roadmap to address the trend of increased numbers of parents choosing homeschooling in the Central Catholic School Board (CCSB, a pseudonym). The CCSB is a publicly funded Ontario Catholic school district serving more than 40,000 students across a mixed urban, rural, and suburban region. A critical theory approach to addressing the increase in homeschooling by students from underserved marginalized communities provides an explicit focus on social justice. The selected solution to address the complex problem is a system-wide implementation of flexi-schooling. A future state sees flexi-schooling providing alternatives to status quo structures by allowing personalized …

"There's A Camel In My Office" Nurturing Agents Of Transformation: Equipping School Leaders To Combat Systemic Racism And Oppression And Foster Inclusive Communities, Jamila Magdalena Maliha

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation in practice (DiP) explores the critical problem of practice wherein school administrators, primarily identifying with the predominant white culture, lack the requisite equitable leadership capacity to address systemic racism within their schools and the district. The perpetuation of systemic racism in schools leads to inequitable outcomes among marginalized students. Grounded in CRT and culturally responsive leadership frameworks, this DiP seeks to identify the barriers hindering administrators from enacting meaningful change and to propose an organizational plan to enhance their capacity for equitable leadership. Utilizing a transformative leadership approach combined with aspects of distributed and collaborative leadership, …

Imagining The Possibilities: Co-Creating School-Wide Equity, Belonging, And Success, Suzanne L. Martin

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

This Dissertation in Practice (DiP) seeks to address the growing opportunity gap adversely impacting marginalized students at an Albertan elementary school. Through a critical theoretical lens, this DiP interrogates the various systemic barriers, contextual factors, and educator biases that perpetuate and reinforce socially and academically stratified learning opportunities that restrict holistic student engagement, belonging, and success. Despite teachers’ desire to meet the needs of all students, increasing levels of student diversity and complexity are decreasing the effectiveness of the school’s traditional pedagogical practices and structures. Employing a blended transformative and compassionate leadership approach, critically educative possibilities towards deep cultural …

Passport To Prosperity: Enhancing Student Advising And Support For International Students At An Ontario College, Cory J. Seney-Coletta

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

International students are underserviced and increasingly unsupported in Ontario’s post-secondary education system. This dissertation-in-practice (DiP) explores the complex challenges confronting international students in Ontario, with a primary focus on Polytechnic College. Through an in-depth analysis of existing literature and institutional practices, the DiP uncovers gaps in current support systems and proposes strategic interventions, particularly within student advising services, to address these gaps. Embracing principles of inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative partnership, the DiP employs a multifaceted approach to enhance the academic and personal success of international students. The Problem of Practice (PoP) centers on the disparities in support needed and …

Improving Teacher Preparedness And Capacities: Narrowing The Gap To Support Youth Mental Health In A Catholic High School, Philip Anthony Capobianco

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

A significant proportion of youth enrolled in Ontario high schools struggle with mental health challenges, and educators lack the necessary readiness and capacities to address these issues. To address the problem of practice (PoP), this dissertation-in-practice (DiP) endeavours to create subject-specific professional learning communities (PLCs) with the dual objective of improving teacher preparation to effectively deal with student mental health challenges and foster collective teacher efficacy (CTE) at Central Catholic High School (CCHS). There is a definite correlation between the recent global pandemic, student well-being, mental health, and academic achievement. Considering this, CCHS must increase teacher interventions, engage policies that …

The Sweetgrassroots Movement: An Indigenous Way Of Leading, Doing, And Changing For Indigenous Education, Jean-Paul Gauthier

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This paper explores and provides context for resolving a problem of practice which identifies Rivertown District School Board’s (pseudonym) oppression of the Indigenous learning communities it serves. This paper identifies the gaps between the current state of Indigenous Education at Rivertown District School Board against the minimum global standards for Indigenous Education defined in the United Nations Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples and draws further comparison to traditional Indigenous Education through Indigenous scholarship. The writer’s personal journey with Indigenous Knowledge constructs such as land-based knowledge, Seven Generations Teachings, Seven Sacred Grandfather Teachings, Mino-Bimaadiziwin, and Blood Memory are discussed …

From Bureaucracy To Belonging: An Equity-Oriented Cultural Shift In Preservice Teacher Placements, Mitchell Miller

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This dissertation-in-practice presents a planned cultural shift in the teacher education fieldwork placement process at a Quebec university. The author, with a commitment to social justice-oriented transformative leadership, outlines significant logistical and cultural challenges in addressing placement considerations of equity-deserving preservice teachers. These challenges are particularly pronounced due to the bureaucratic and inter-organizational nature of the placement network. To address this problem of practice, distributed and subversive-resistant change leadership approaches are employed, guided by a change management framework combining processual and social justice-oriented models. Through the change plan, there is a fostering of a cultural shift away from placements solely …

Dim Guxws Dibakwi’Mhl K’Uba Tk’Ihlkw (Bringing Our Children Home), Jason G. Morgan-Gottschall

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

For Indigenous leaders in British Columbia, the over-representation of children in the child welfare system, is a longstanding issue. K’uba Wilksihlkw Society (KWS) is an Indigenous-led non-profit delegated Aboriginal agency (DAA) operating under the Child, Family, and Community Services Act (CFCSA) in British Columbia, whom place Indigenous culture at the centre of its child and family programming and service delivery. In January 2020, Canada passed Bill C-92, affirming and recognizing Indigenous peoples' right to exercise full jurisdiction over child and family services. Efforts by KWS to pursue a jurisdictional readiness framework under Bill C-92 require collaboration with Indigenous communities to …

Learning To Feed: Integrating Practical, Theoretical, And Experiential Aspects Of Breast And Infant Feeding Into Nursing Curricula, Jeff Biletchi

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This dissertation-in-practice (DiP) introduces a targeted improvement plan designed to elevate the proficiency of nursing faculty in X College (a pseudonym), focusing on the delivery of infant and breastfeeding education within the nursing curricula. Anchored in the principles of educational leadership and utilizing action research methodologies, this initiative addresses a pivotal gap in nursing education. It proposes a curriculum framework that intricately blends theoretical knowledge with experiential learning opportunities, aiming to enhance educational development in the nursing discipline. This comprehensive approach not only seeks to equip nursing students with the critical skills required for effective infant and breastfeeding support but …

Championing Belonging: A Community Where Students Can Flourish, Carol D. Grant-Watt

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In a K-12 independent school educational setting, belonging is crucial for fostering a positive learning environment where students, faculty, and staff feel valued, supported, and motivated to engage actively in their academic pursuits contributing to increased academic achievement, higher levels of motivation, and improved mental health outcomes. Moreover, belonging plays a key role in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. When individuals feel they belong, regardless of their background, identity, or abilities, it leads to a more inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can flourish and contribute positively to the community. By integrating transformative and authentic leadership and critical and …

Creating Pathways To Reconciliation Through Incorporating Indigenous Voices And Culture Into The Development Of Impact Benefit Agreements (Ibas) On First Nation Traditional Territory, Hannah M. Caicco Ms

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-practice (DiP) is a declaration for leaders to engage in ongoing and edifying activism in the form of Indigenous advocacy. Due to the unjust generational trauma of Indigenous peoples, this work promotes Indigenous authorship, participation, and empowerment, specifically in negotiated land agreements, commonly known as Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs). Red Pine Economic Development Corporation (EDC) (pseudonym), a for-profit Indigenous organization owned by Red Pine First Nation, holds two IBAs that lack Indigenous participation, voice, and culture. To address this omission, Red Pine EDC must work with Red Pine First Nation to redraft a more fulsome cultural chapter of the …

More Than Caring: Building A Foundation Of Skills And Competencies To Teach Self-Advocacy In A Female-Dominated Profession, Laura Perri

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

External patriarchal interventions and market-driven forces have limited professional advancements and autonomy of the female-dominated dental hygiene (DH) profession since its foundation. The DH profession defines itself though caring and advocating for public access to its essential services. However, the lack of voice and autonomy are reported causes of DH practitioner burnout and labour shortages. DH education lacks training and foundational skills for self-advocacy. This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) explores the organizational context of a South-Western Ontario DH college (SWO College or the school) and addresses a complex problem of practice (PoP) that recognizes the barriers, both past and present, that kept …

Nurturing A Culture Of Change In K-12 Schools, Howard Pitler

The Advocate

Abstract

Title: Nurturing a Culture of Change in K-12 Schools

As K-12 education undergoes rapid evolution to meet the demands of a changing world, educational leaders must navigate complex challenges to drive meaningful transformation. This article delves into the imperative for change in educational systems globally and explores tailored strategies for fostering a culture of change within K-12 schools.

Visionary leadership emerges as a cornerstone for guiding schools through periods of change, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and student-centered approaches. Cultivating a change-ready school culture involves nurturing an environment that encourages experimentation, risk-taking, and continuous learning. Effective communication and collaboration, both internally …

Civic Engagement Through Asian American And Pacific Islander Studies: Cultivating Capacity For Social Justice Through Critical Service Learning, Jennifer A. Yee

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This autoethnographic case study analyzes how “ASAM 230 – Civic Engagement Through Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Studies,” an ethnic studies course created at a public, comprehensive university in partnership with a community-based organization, cultivates capacity for social justice through critical service learning. ASAM 230 purposefully manifests social justice principles, conscious equitable distribution of individual and structural power, and a focus on authentic, sustainable relationships, with conceptual, practical implications for social change agents and educators.

Institutionalizing Community Engagement: A Quantitative Approach To Identifying Patterns Of Engagement Based On Institutional Characteristics, Natasha Hutson, Travis York, Daesang Kim, Jamie L. Workman

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community engagement is recognized as a high-impact practice in higher education. However, while best practices in engagement have been broadly accepted, standard metrics for engagement across institutions have not yet been established. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between community engagement and a variety of institutional characteristics among higher education institutions in a Southeastern state. Findings indicated that a pattern of engagement existed among the 48 participating institutions.

Enhancing Learning, Changing The World: How Service-Learning Influences The Brain, Tracey Honeycutt Sigler, Kristi Lewis Tyran

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Service-learning helps students learn about course concepts through applying them in a setting outside the classroom. The experiences provided by service-learning create conditions that can lead to changes in the learner’s brain. In this paper, we provide support for this assertion from research in brain-based learning with suggestions of how to explicitly apply concepts from these areas of study to service-learning pedagogy so that we might increase learning.

The Other 2/3 Of The Iceberg; Building Intercultural Understanding In A Monocultural Setting, E. Shannon Wellwood Ms.

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

For expat teachers embarking on an overseas sojourn, language and cultural differences can be a navigational hazard, resulting in hardships, broken contracts, and distrust. Within the monocultural setting of Vietnam, expats experience a dichotomy of their own cultures, and strong Confucian and communist underpinnings of Vietnamese society. With 35 years of experience in Asia, the author engages as change initiator and change agent, in a non-western model of leadership, culturally responsive leadership, addressing the lack of clarity about cultural nuances, and a lack of information/strategies to nurture cultural intelligence, leading to cultural dissonance between expats and Vietnamese faculty. The resulting …

Improving Work-Integrated Learning Experiences Through The Implementation Of A Quality Framework At A Multi-Campus College, Theresa M. Dobbin Pittman

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Work-integrated learning, commonly referred to as WIL, is a growing curricular experiential education practice integrating academic studies with practical experiences within a workplace setting. WIL is a strategic priority within Canadian and international post-secondary institutions, including Waterville College (a pseudonym), a multi-campus Canadian community college. WIL activities at Waterville College, while an institutional priority, have been identified through an internal review as an area with significant operational weaknesses. This dissertation-in-practice addresses the leadership problem of practice at Waterville College focusing on the inconsistent and unsystematic implementation of WIL. Grounded in principles of distributed and transformational leadership, the dissertation-in-practice examines Waterville …

Homelessness In The United States: Factors, Trends, Forensic Considerations, And Housing First As A Response To Traditional Housing Interventions, Amanda Lenertz

Master of Arts in Human Services

The topics of housing instability and homelessness are significant public health concerns within the United States. This review aimed to explore the problem of homelessness through the lens of forensic mental health, assessing current housing interventions and outcomes for affected populations. A literature review of over 45 journal articles was conducted; this review sought to identify relevant themes, affected populations, debates in research, and proposed interventions. Topics reviewed included the history and current state of housing interventions, contributing factors, individual and societal costs and consequences, relationships between homelessness, substance use, mental health, and incarceration, housing first initiatives, considerations for special …

Book Review: Standing Up Space Force: The Road To The Nation’S Sixth Armed Service, Robert D. Bradford Iii

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Forrest L. Marion

Reviewed by Robert D. Bradford III, associate professor of defense and Joint processes, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College

Robert D. Bradford III reviews this “first history” of the United States Space Force. He overviews the author Forrest L. Marion’s resources (“primary sources and extensive oral history interviews”) and highlights the book’s value in the way it “depicts cultural and bureaucratic barriers to…organizational change.” Bradford notes the history’s universal applicability as it relates to other situations in which an institution successfully approaches change.

In Search Of Belonging In A Grade 6-8 Public School In Western Canada, Jasbir Singh

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Systemic racism and oppressive practices within and outside British Columbia institutions are negatively impacting students’ sense of belonging in schools. The Metro School District (MSD, a pseudonym) and BC Ministry of Education (BCMoE) have responded with the district equity plan and the K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan, respectively, to address this issue. However, a gap remains between their goals and the current reality of creating inclusive school environments. Valley Middle School (VMS, a pseudonym) has seen instances of racism and exclusion affecting students and teachers from minoritized backgrounds, including myself as a Sikh, South Asian principal. My Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) focuses on …

Sustainability Of A State, District, And School Professional Learning Community, Gertrude Jones Black

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I explored professional learning community sustainability at the school, district, and state levels. Researchers have found that professional learning communities are a means of effective professional learning for teachers and a vital factor in increased student achievement. However, there is very little multi-case research involving the sustainability of professional learning communities. This multi-site case study extends the research on this topic. I used qualitative methods to clarify my understanding of the phenomenon of sustainability of PLC communities. I investigated how the PLC members’ stances and actions, perceptions of school culture, and commitment to lifelong learning impacted a …

Human-Centred Leadership In Higher Education Student Services: Strategies For Preserving A Values-Driven Team Culture During Organizational Change, Christine A. Klaray

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In the dynamic Canadian higher education landscape, leaders of student services units face mounting pressures to ensure teams remain agile, responsive, and efficient while meeting students' needs. By nurturing a values-driven team culture characterized by shared beliefs, values, and assumptions, leaders cultivate thriving work environments that mitigate risks associated with staff burnout and attrition, while safeguarding against the shift towards transactional operations over student-centric approaches. The student services team described in this dissertation-in-practice (DiP) is preparing for the transition to a new institution-wide student software system, and staff expressed concerns about preserving the team’s core values amid increased workload and …

Bridging Policy-Curriculum-Accommodations: A Nursing Education Initiative, Ketsa Maceus

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Supporting student academic accommodations (AAs) is an increasingly prevalent challenge for post-secondary nursing instructors in Ontario, with the growing number of students in nursing programs with mental health or medical disabilities. Historically, nursing programs have denied access to potential students with disabilities; today, the rigorous nursing program structure and the lack of support for instructors remain realities, even with the Ontario Human Rights Code and administrators' policies. The nursing faculty team (NFT) at Top College (TC) (pseudonym) must uphold educational and clinical expectations while assuring student competencies and curriculum integrity. In this comprehensive dissertation-in-practice (DiP), I explore bridging gaps in …

How Can Dei Training Change The Culture Of An Organization To Achieve Belonging And Retain Diverse Employees?, Kaisa S. Holt

University Honors Theses

Studies show the need for innovation and higher productivity yields can be best achieved through workforce heterogeneity. Creating effective DEI training frameworks is crucial for belonging, sustainable social well-being and enacting real change. This is key to proactively shifting our current system from one that responds to the need for DEI on a surface level to something that is regenerative. The aim of this review is to evaluate characteristics and enhancements added to evidence-based DEI training between 2020 and 2024. Studies were identified using the Portland State advanced database of academic journals on the DEI training and impacts of the …