Education Commons^™

Qualitative Exploration Of Principal Behaviors In Elementary Schools Classified With High Climate And High Achievement, Christian Kirby, Christian Aubrey Kirby

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to gain a clear understanding of principal behaviors in high achieving/high climate elementary schools in North Georgia and the impact of these behaviors on future principal professional learning practices. This research study was conducted using a qualitative case study with a phenomenological approach. The particular phenomena studied in this research are the characteristics and behaviors exhibited by principals in elementary schools with high achievement and high climate ratings in one North Georgia School District. Case studies, by nature, involve a small target population.

The study analyzed total instructional programs, reducing the achievement gap, and …

The Growth Mindset School Community, Christina A. Hild

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional school models perpetuate limited notions of ability. Established in systems designed to label and sort, educators must examine their beliefs about ability and the ways culture and power structures impact expectations and student achievement. By adopting a growth mindset lens and applying distributed leadership to systems within a school, educational leaders can enhance opportunities for all children. The Growth Mindset School Community describes an organization committed to growth and reflective processes intended to monitor thinking and procedures impacting learning and growth. Teacher expectations, feedback, assessment, and grading practices, behavior management, special education, teacher evaluation, and leadership models are all …

Culturally Responsive Educational Leadership: A Qualitative Study Of Indigenous Innovations, Bert Klunder

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study of culturally responsive educational leadership (CREL) explores noteworthy cases of system-wide innovation spanning decades through interviews with seven education professionals active within Indigenous movements and organizations driving Native Hawaiian education and the revitalization of Hawaiian language and culture. The research focus includes the Na Honua Mauli Ola Guidelines (and Pathways) for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments, along with the preceding Kumu Honua Mauli Ola Philosophy Statement. Interviewees, all with direct connections to these innovations, illuminate their local and global significance through personal accounts of their development and implementation. The study’s uniquely situated methodology yields rich data …

Discovering The Leader Within: An Autoethnophenomenographic Study Of Mindfulness In Educational Leadership, Alyssa Fraser

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative study combined autoethnographic and phenomenological methods to examine a researcher-leader’s attempt to cultivate cognitive, relational, and emotional capacities through regular mindfulness practice, and how the cultivation of such capacities aligns with the enactment of leadership. The interrogation of lived experience and self-analysis was entered with the intention to better understand the promise of mindfulness as a resource for the development of educational leaders. This study explored the perceived connections between mindfulness practice and the enactment of educational leadership by examining internal and external perspectives of an individual leader’s practice. Methods of self-observation, including both interval and occurrence recording …

The Leadership Experiences Of Female Special Education Administrators, Kerry E. Weir

Doctoral Dissertations

When Ella Young Flagg, the first female superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools, proposed that educational leadership was a woman’s “natural field” she could not have predicted that one hundred years later women would have neither a majority of school leadership positions, nor would they be proportionally represented when compared with female teachers (Grogan & Shakeshaft, 2011). Unlike the school leadership positions of the principal and superintendent that have been traditionally dominated by men, female leaders have achieved greater parity in special education administration (Keefe & Parmley, 2003). Although female special education administrators represent an exception to this phenomenon of …

Superintendent Turnover In Guam, Alvin Sanga

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Superintendent turnover has been rampant in the public school district in Guam, an unincorporated United States territory; there have been 18 superintendents since the 1981. This qualitative study aimed to identify and analyze potential factors affecting the superintendency in Guam. Social systems theory proposes a number of factors about the dynamics that define the relationship between an individual and a social system to help us understand the behavior of the individual within an organization. To triangulate the data, this study was comprised of individual interviews with Guam superintendents and content analysis of the Guam Public School Audit of 2009 and …

Leadership Competencies For The Community College Department Chairperson, Jason Carl Ross

Dissertations

Published in 2005, the American Association of Community Colleges developed a list of six leadership competencies deemed by stakeholders as essential to a community college leadership position. The six AACC leadership competencies include organizational strategy, resource management, communication, collaboration, community college advocacy, and professionalism, and they have been well researched with upper-level community college leadership, student services personnel, and boards of trustees. This research examined these competencies as they relate to the community college department chairperson.

Often viewed as a path to upper level leadership, the community college chairperson is both a faculty member and administrator, and chairpersons must represent …

"Taking Our Seat At The Table": A Narrative Inquiry Of The Experiences Of Seven Latina Administrative Leaders In Higher Education, Sharon Pierce

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Currently, Latinas are the fastest growing population in the United States and comprise one-fifth of the female population (Roach, 2015). It is estimated that by the year 2060 Latinas will make up one-third of the females in the US (Roach, 2015). Gandara (2015) suggests there are several potential barriers that are holding back Latinas from academic and professional success. There are several critical factors that could explain why Latinas are underachieving: family obligations, work obligations, affordability, systemic barriers, lack of information and lack of role models and mentors (Espinoza, 2015, Gandara, 2008; Nunez & Murakami-Ramalho, 2012). This narrative inquiry examined …

Authentic Leadership Behaviors Contributing To Job Satisfaction Of Elementary School Principals And Elementary Special Education Teachers, Penny M. Tharpe

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand what elements of authentic leadership (heart, values, purpose, relationships, and self-discipline) contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary special education teachers in the Desert/Mountain Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). A second purpose of the study was to understand what elements of authentic leadership contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary principals in the Desert/Mountain SELPA. A third purpose of the study was to identify the similarities and differences that exist among the elements of authentic leadership that contribute to job satisfaction as perceived by elementary principals and …

Leadership In Higher Education: Role Of Persons-In-Charge Of Internationalization Efforts In Community Colleges, Sunita Kumari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the role carried out by persons-in-charge of campus internationalization efforts at community colleges. The comprehension of this leadership role encompassed identifying and understanding profile and qualities of the person-in-charge of campus internationalization efforts as well as the duties and responsibilities of these individuals. The extent to which the person-in-charge of campus internationalization efforts received institutional support, and the tribulations or challenges they faced as they worked on the internationalization initiatives of their respective institutions were also explored, alongside their personal view of internationalization with respect to globalization. This study added to the …

Overcoming Isolation As A Woman In The Male-Dominated Superintendency, Melissa Ann Mccooley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the attributes associated with the leadership of women superintendents and how they overcome isolation in a predominantly male-dominated field. Through a feminist lens, I explored the manner in which women serve as superintendents, particularly, the manner in which they overcome isolation in a male-dominated field. Eleven women, including myself as the researcher, currently serving as superintendents in New Jersey participated in this study. Through the use of graphic elicitation and interviews the participants revealed an array of instances that enhance the feeling of isolation as a woman in the male-dominated …

Meaning Makers: A Mixed-Method Case Study Of Exemplary University Presidents And The Behaviors They Use To Create Personal And Organizational Meaning, Barbara E. Bartels

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, mixed method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary university presidents use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. Further, this study surveyed followers to assess the degree of importance followers believe a leader uses character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration to create personal and organizational meaning. This study was accomplished by interviewing exemplary university presidents regarding their perceptions of utilizing the strategies and behaviors associated with character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. While there has been much research on …

Passion And Purpose In Advocacy: Portraits Of Educational Leaders, Maureen D. Brown

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

As the public education system becomes more diverse, voices of advocates who positively support students and optimize student outcomes are essential. This qualitative multicase case study focused on the perspectives of five educational leaders who advocated in a public school district in Texas. A brief overview of historic voices in education advocacy gave way to the advocacy-based voices heard from educators, school counselors, and principals. Answering the central research question of how educational leaders maintain their passion for advocacy while overcoming obstacles related to change, each participant shared the personal experiences that paved the way for a passion in advocacy. …

Emotional Intelligence And Organizational Context In Educational Leadership, Matthew R. Horne

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative, multiple case study investigated how educational leaders used and manifested Emotional Intelligence (EI) skills and abilities in unique organizational contexts. The study was conducted with five principals in a large, urban school district. The principals were selected to participate based on the organizational context of their schools. Each site was profiled and subsequently categorized based on the unique dynamics of the school including, but not limited to cultural, social, political, environmental, economic, and temporal factors. The principals were interviewed using a common, open-ended interview protocol. The interviews contained questions about the school’s organizational context, the principal’s relationships with …

Centering The Margins: Elevating The Voices Of Women Of Color To Critically Examine College Student Leadership, Natasha T. Turman

Dissertations

The leadership viewpoints of Women of Color (WOC), in general, and WOC collegians specifically, are not widely available or recognized. This exclusion and oversight is a disservice to all. The inadequate inclusion of WOC's perspective in leadership literature is due to the assumptions of race and gender neutrality in leadership studies. Viewing leadership as a set of universal constructs, garnered from a select few and generalized to a great many, is not adequate to understanding the leadership experiences of WOC within dominant-culture environments. To address these deficits, critical leadership scholars have proposed that leadership be (re)conceptualized from a multicultural perspective, …

Administrative Leadership To Build Capacity For Inclusion Of Students With Emotional Disabilities, Nicole Corbett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a New England school district, students with emotional disabilities (SWED) were educated in the most restrictive educational placement outside the general education classroom at higher rates than any other disability group The purpose of this qualitative, instrumental case study was to explore administrators' and teachers' perceptions regarding campus and district level systems and structures, professional development (PD) available, and the role of administrators in building capacity for the inclusion of SWED in the general education classroom. Vygotsky's theory of social development, Knowles's theory of andragogy, and Knoster's model for leading and managing complex change provided the theoretical framework for …

A Comparison Between Administrative Leadership In Higher Education And Change-Oriented Leadership In Banks, Glenn King Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational environments continually change. Organizations that do not meet the demands for change do not survive. The required changes differ for banks versus universities, suggesting that leaders in each type of organization need to use unique styles to adapt to their unique environments. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to test a contingency theory of leadership that leaders of banks are change-oriented, whereas leaders of higher educational institutions are administrative in their style. The research questions dealt with differences in the uncertainty of internal operations and the external environment of banks versus universities, and the leadership style most …

Principals' Perceptions Of Student Performance On The Nigerian Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, Comfort Fubara Oghu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure of high school students on the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in Nigeria is severely limiting the number of students qualified to enroll in college. The purpose of this multiple case study of 6 high schools in southern Nigeria was to describe principals' perceptions of student performance on the SSCE and the principals' influence on school climate, teacher expectations and approaches, and student performance. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior provided the framework for the study. The research questions focused on the extent to which principals developed and sustained a school climate that supported positive outcomes. Qualitative …

The Superintendent’S Feed: An Analysis Of Superintendents’ Engagement In Political Discourse On Twitter, Todd M. Hurst

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The modern school superintendent fulfills a unique role in the American public education system. He or she is structurally empowered as the de facto head of the local educational system, thereby granted with a certain amount of trust and authority regarding educational issues. At the same time, the superintendent is, in most cases, an employee of a politically appointed school board. This construction creates a dynamic wherein the superintendent is both the leader of a highly structured, bureaucratic system, while at the same time an employee of a largely lay, often elected, group of citizens.

The position of the superintendent …

A Movement Against And Beyond Boundaries: Exploring The Impact Of Transgressive Teaching On The Student Affairs Practices Of White, Heterosexual Men, Conor Mclaughlin

Dissertations

Transgressive teaching can have a substantive and transformative impact on the experiences of students in primary, secondary, and higher education classrooms. Transgressive teaching is exemplified by the engaged pedagogy outlined by bell hooks in the seminal work Teaching to Transgress, in which teachers seek to engage spaces of learning in deeper and more holistic ways. Scholars have theorized transgressive teaching, when implemented by student affairs professionals, can have similar effects on the experiences of students, especially those from identity groups which have historically been marginalized in higher education. However, there is a limited understanding of the experiences of student affairs …

High School Principal Leadership For The Implementation Of A Personalized Proficiency Education Paradigm In The State Of Vermont, Jennifer Stainton

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

As of 2014, the State of Vermont adopted a policy package directing schools to implement a new way of educating and graduating students. Vermont’s Act 77 and Education Quality Standards require schools to identify specific skills and knowledge students must be proficient in to graduate and ensure each student has a personalized experience. Vermont’s tradition of local control means high school principals are leading change in their schools. How high school principals are understanding, valuing, and acting to lead the implementation of Vermont’s policies for personalized, proficiency-based education therefore varies by location. The purpose of this multiple case study was …

Critical Soft Skills To Achieve Success In The Workplace, Gloria A. Meeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this study was a problem identified by human resources directors and managers in a medium sized community in the southeast of the United States. The problem was that some college graduates are not equipped with the necessary soft skills to be successful in the workforce. Executive directors and human resources managers brought this problem to the attention of the career center directors in the community. Goleman's theory of emotional intelligence was the theoretical framework to ground this study. This study involved purposeful sampling to select 9 human resources directors from local companies. To investigate soft skills in …

Effect Of Leadership Development Programs In The Workplace: Strategies For Human Resource Managers, Daniel Francisco Flores

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders face the challenge of developing their employees to assume leadership positions within their organizations. However, business leaders devote less than 10% of their time to developing employee leadership capabilities through leadership development programs, resulting in poor leadership development programs designed to prepare employees to assume leadership positions. Using transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies that human resource managers use to improve their employee leadership development programs. Participants were purposefully selected for their experience improving employee leadership development programs in organizations in Silicon Valley. Data were collected via semistructured interviews over Skype …

School Leadership In A High Performing Rural Catholic School In Nigeria, Theophilus Idebaneria Itaman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have observed that effective leaders are essential to achieving and sustaining high student achievement in disadvantaged poor rural areas. Poor leadership may negatively influence the academic performance of students. The poor performance of students in disadvantaged rural areas has been a continuous concern for Catholic educators in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the leadership practices that a rural Catholic school principal implemented to improve the academic standards in a disadvantaged environment in Nigeria. This qualitative case study sought to explore the practices of a principal in a Catholic school in the Diocese …

Business-Oriented Leadership Competencies Of K-12 Educational Leaders, Kevin Alan Kaufman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Contemporary K-12 educational leaders must fulfill many roles and responsibilities similar to those fulfilled by traditional business leaders. There is, however, a lack of information about the business-oriented competencies of K12 educational leaders in comparison with business executive norms. This lack of information places K-12 institutions at risk of selecting leaders who are not capable of accomplishing institutional goals and objectives, improving the efficiency and sustainability of business operations, meeting stakeholder expectations, managing social responsibilities, and improving the educational foundation of the next-generation workforce. Grounded in leadership theory, this nonexperimental study included the California Psychological Inventory 260 assessment to capture …

Development Of An Evidence-Based Practice Guideline For Prevention Of Diaper Dermatitis, Nanita Flavier Lim-Sulit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diaper dermatitis, an acute inflammatory reaction of the skin, is one of the most common forms of dermatitis among neonatal and pediatric patients. The problem addressed in this quality improvement project was the absence of an evidence-based practice (EBP) guideline for perineal care which resulted in 4 unexpected cases of diaper dermatitis per 100 hospital days at a non free standing children's hospital. Framed within Rosswurm and Larrabee's model for EBP, the purpose of this project was to develop an educational initiative encompassing an EBP guideline for perineal care, an educational curriculum plan for staff members, and a Power Point …

The Role Of Leadership In Changing The Culture Of An International School To Be Inclusive Of Students With Special, Simon Norman Gillespie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educating a diverse student population is a core principle of international school education. Historically, many international schools have had admissions policies that excluded students with special learning needs. However, admission policies have changed to require more inclusiveness and school support for a wider range of students and for effectively meeting their needs. The study was based on change theory. Of interest was how school leaders best supported the change process to create the conditions for success in the context of changing admissions policies. Research questions targeted strategies that supported change and student success that were used to change the culture …