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Climbing The Doctoral Mountain To Success, Ronald Black

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

All educational journeys lead to successful personal and professional conclusions. Online doctoral students face numerous challenges from cultural, academic, and technological challenges throughout their doctoral journey. The doctoral journey requires the completion of a dissertation, a sign of scholarly achievement and success. With technology, online doctoral students enter a doctoral program looking for motivation to be successful and enhance their online doctoral journey. Mentoring plays a significant role in an online doctoral student’s journey through the doctoral study and research process. The doctoral mentor’s role is to advise and motivate online doctoral students through the dissertation process. Doctoral mentors guide …

Building Community For Completion: Doctoral Students’ Perceptions Of Technology Integration Within Dissertation Committee Collaboration, Scott A. Fillman, Barbara Holmes, Dejuanna Parker, Kent Willis

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of technology-mediated collaboration and mentorship between dissertation committee members and doctoral student scholars. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the role of technology for collaboration and building community within dissertation committees, focusing on dissertation scholars’ perspectives. The study was based on one overarching research question: How do doctoral students describe the integration of technology for collaborating with dissertation committees? Doctoral scholar participants described the importance of technological literacy within dissertation committees, most indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the importance of fluency with technology. Other participants portrayed the importance of technological literacy within …

Faculty Of Color In The Academy: A Perspective On Cross-Cultural Mentoring, Sherrise Y. Truesdale-Moore

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Research has indicated that students’ race and their experiences and sense of belonging are associated with the racial characteristics of the faculty. This highlights the importance of recruitment and retention for faculty of color (FOC) in higher education. A formal faculty mentoring program is essential to providing an academic atmosphere that nurtures, supports, and develops faculty members’ teaching and research skills to assist them in feeling a sense of belonging within the university community is essential. However, finding the right mentoring program that addresses the daunting challenges among FOC is challenging. Upon reviewing the higher education faculty data and literature …

Equipping Faculty Of Color: Mentorship And Strategies For Success In The Academy, Kara R. De La Fosse

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Equity is salient in the academy; however, the lens is focused on students and not faculty. Affording faculty of color, the same respect, honor, and opportunities white individual possess are critical. Discounting credit and recognizing individuals’ achievements based on the color of their skin transpired unfortunately. Emphasis has been provided necessitating the need to have diverse leadership in higher education to reflect the population of students. This exemplifies what students have voiced and provides support for the growing diverse population matriculating through higher education. Ensuring that recruitment for faculty of color and ongoing support is extended is paramount. Removing gaps …

Prologue, Patrick J. Clipsham

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

No abstract provided.

Scholarship With A Reach, Lori B. Doyle, Tanya M. Tarbutton, Kellie L. Albrecht

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

While the goal of providing a path to degree completion for master’s level participants is worthy, universities can consider ways for scholarship to have a far-reaching impact beyond the individual benefits to program completers. The field of education is situated in the social sciences and rationale for program development, when tied to a theoretical foundation, provides for theory-to-practice implications. Organizational change theory is an appropriate foundation for a discussion on master’s level culminating research projects designed with a goal of enacting change in classrooms, schools, districts, and even around the globe. One university’s approach will be highlighted and two culminating …

All Young People Of Scotland Will Flourish Under Curriculum For Excellence: Mainstream Primary Teacher Perception Of Additional Support Need Resources In Curriculum For Excellence, Fraser Mcguinness

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

An increase in the number of pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN) in Scottish mainstream schools has brought with it a wide variation of learners’ educational needs and corresponding support. Despite this, there is anecdotal evidence sufficient support has not been supplied effectively to meet these needs.

Given repeated policy statements by the Scottish Executive (2004) and Scottish Government (2009; 2016) that Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) will “enable all of the young people of Scotland to flourish as individuals”, one may call into question whether CfE is indeed a curriculum that can facilitate such promise. The purpose of this research …

Prologue: The Intersectionality Of Research And Practice In Addressing Challenges And Issues In Education, Dejuanna M. Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The Spring 2023 theme for the Journal of Advancing Education Practice (JAEP) is The Intersectionality of Research and Practice in Addressing Challenges and Issues in Education.

Attributes Of Successful Graduate Students: Facilitating Self-Efficacy And Persistence, Hamid H. Atchan, Hannah M. Terry, Jacob H. Perner, Jesse Gonzalez, Joseph R. Mueller, Kornelia Staniszewska, Mendela K. Paulsen

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Colleges and universities struggle with declining program completion rates among graduate students. While the attrition rate of graduate students declined over the last five years in the United States, the issue of graduate student persistence continues to be challenging. This study identifies and explores reported characteristics: expectations, motivation, self-discipline, emotional intelligence, and passion for learning. Graduate students studying educational leadership conducted a qualitative inquiry to approach theoretical comprehension of the intrinsic motivations, expectations, and major attributes of successful graduate students. Examining these areas provides a deeper understanding of success achieved by graduate students.

Using Doctoral Education And Research-Based Learning To Advance The Nurse Leader, Kara R. De La Fosse

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Nurse leaders perform in highly autonomous positions in two dimensions; academia, and the clinical setting with the awesome responsibility to serve and protect others. To guide nursing practice, research-based skills are crucial to ensure leadership decisions are founded in evidence-based practice. Random controlled studies are gold-standard in healthcare compared to correlation or descriptive studies and employ a systematic review to strengthen findings (Schmidt & Brown, 2021). Research skills are prominent in numerous components of the leadership scope to perform at a stellar level.

Reading Through The Pause: How Superintendents Viewed Literacy For Middle Grade Learners During The Pandemic, Dana Evans, Paige Paquette, Dionne Rosser-Mims, Terry Oatts, Brenda Coley

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This paper highlights the voices of two superintendents' lived experiences guiding teachers, parents, and students in their districts during the pandemic shutdown. The emphasis of literacy education showcases the ways in which middle grades learners were able to continue discursive practices through online platforms to share and engage with texts. This reflective piece describes the process of perseverance in literacy education through the pandemic pause.

Prologue: Faculty Of Color Expressions And Perspectives, Kathryn Engdahl

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This special issue of the Journal of Advancing Education Practice featuring Faculty of Color Expressions and Perspectives creates a critical forum for truth-telling, education, and empowerment. It offers an invitation to deepen understanding of each other’s experience, and to integrate that deeper understanding in practice to enhance ongoing equity and inclusion work.

Navigating The Unknown: A Black Faculty Member’S Journey In The Predominantly White University, Sherrise Y. Truesdale-Moore

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The author provides a narrative of her faculty experience in a predominately white university. She depicts her academic journey through the lens of an African American woman motivated to teach in higher education, share expertise, become a role model, and offer new knowledge to the profession. In the essay, she shares challenges about navigating the workspace while successfully fulfilling contractual obligations. For faculty of color teaching in a predominately white university, she emphasizes the need for a sense of belonging and mentoring through a culturally responsive approach.

If You Build It, They Will Take It: Institutional Theft Of The Academic Work Of Black Faculty, Dejuanna Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This reflection piece described the perception of the lived experience of Black adjunct faculty and a program director of an inaugural Education Doctorate program. The essay recounts milestone moments of program development, administrative theft of the program, and the replacement of all Black inaugural faculty with lesser experienced White faculty who were unfamiliar with the philosophy and content of the program. A message of wisdom and a glimmer of hope is offered to Black faculty who find themselves in a similar context.

Black Male School Administrators Unbridled: Strategies To Say What Needs To Be Said, Jamel Gibson

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Black males in educational leadership positions need strategies to remain authentic, make cultural connections to staff and students, and to be free to speak to stakeholders without fear of reprimand, retaliation, demotion, and other negative perceptions associated with American stereotypes. This opinion paper will share insight on the challenges coupled with being a Black male administrator in the American public school system and provide strategies for success.

Intentional Mentoring: A Shared Journey Of Discovering And Supporting Diverse Talent In Academia, Barbara Holmes, Kent Willis

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Thriving in academe for faculty of color is difficult and challenging (Gasman, 2022). Faculty of Color face enormous odds of overcoming barriers such as an unwelcoming culture, isolation, lack of professional support, imposter syndrome and disengagement from the community of scholars. In recognition of these factors, intentional mentoring provides a strategy of support in facilitating successful persistence in the academy.

This autoethnographic paper explores the mentor-mentee relationship of a tenured faculty member whose contributions in mentorship and coaching produced notable professional growth for countless doctoral students and new faculty members. Sharing the experiences of one mentee and mentor may inform …

Model Classrooms: One Approach To Teacher Shortages, Ashlee Boothe

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Due to a nationwide teacher shortage, instructional leaders are utilizing more alternatively certified teachers than in the past, creating a problem for principals (Darling-Hammond & Berry, 2006; Birinci and Amburgey, 2022). Teachers in alternatively certified programs often lack pedagogy due to an absence of educational training, and as a result, principals hire teachers who are inadequately trained for the classroom. Therefore, there is a need to improve the way instructional leaders prepare alternatively certified teachers. The solution to this dilemma is creating professional learning through model classrooms, a term coined by the author. Model classrooms serve as exemplars to other …

Prologue, Leo Mcauley Brown

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This edition focuses on the need to cultivate scholarly learning communities. Education leaders can benefit from relevant research that may aid in keeping students and educators engaged. The editorial staff of JAEP is committed to creating spaces for topics that support scholarly inquiry.

Five Steps Of Evaluative Feedback That Promotes Teacher Development, Katie Perkins, Audrey Roberts

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The purpose of this article is to provide five succinct steps that effective leaders in education can implement when conducting teacher observations and evaluations. Through the analysis of current literature, the authors suggest that teacher evaluation includes (1) establishing norms, (2) building relationships, (3) conducting classroom observations, (4) providing feedback, and (5) setting goals and follow-up. The need for effective feedback delivery and evaluation is crucial for teacher development, and ultimately, student success.

Integrating Intercultural Communication Competence Into Entrepreneurially-Minded Online Discussions, Lisa Bosman, Bhavana Kotla, Carolina Cuesta, Neeraj Duhan

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Abstract: The continued rise of the global economy, especially during COVID-19, has required stakeholders, including higher education, to think more strategically about preparing future university graduates with intercultural skill development. This study contributes to the literature by showing one approach whereby faculty can integrate intercultural communication competence into the STEM classroom via entrepreneurially-minded online discussions (a form of information literacy). This semester-long study applied a mixed methods approach. First, students participated in five online discussions, which were analyzed qualitatively to identify themes and patterns. Second, at the end of the semester, after completing the online discussions, students responded to a …

Wait! Don’T Quit! Stay With Your Doctoral Program During The Global Pandemic: Lessons Learned From Program Completers, Sonya Hurt, Ericka Woods Ways, Barbara Holmes

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Using the self-determination theory framework developed by Ryan and Deci (2000), this study explored the facilitation strategies doctoral candidates used to stay on task during the global pandemic. Areas of inquiry included academic progression, dissertation research writing processes and addressing impacts on work, academic studies and persistence. The study used a phenomenological approach of qualitative research design. Ten participants were selected using a convenient sampling method. Three themes emerged from the data that included (1) Balancing work and life quality issues, (2) Mastering academic protocols (3) Developing collective efficacy in scholar development. This study revealed that student dependence on the …

Reconsidering The Call To Teach: K-12 Teacher Responses To Schools’ Addressing A Global Health Disruption, Dejuanna Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This qualitative study explored K-12 teacher experiences with school responses to the pandemic that prompted instructors to reconsider the call to teach. Two theories provided a lens through which to view the problem. The Theory of Purpose was applied to analyzing instructors’ original decision to teach. Fortigenesis Theory undergirded the exploration of teacher responses to physical and emotional challenges. Three themes emerged as a result of data analysis: Discontent and Disdain for Post-Pandemic Teaching Practices, Emotional Distance Created by Physical Distance, and Administrative Priorities and Teacher Wellbeing.

Building Community For Completion: Doctoral Students’ Perceptions Of Technology Integration Within Dissertation Committee Collaboration, Scott Fillman, Barbara Holmes, Dejuanna Parker, Kent Willis

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of technology-mediated collaboration and mentorship between dissertation committee members and doctoral student scholars. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the role of technology for collaboration and building community within dissertation committees, focusing on dissertation scholars’ perspectives. The study was based on one overarching research question: How do doctoral students describe the integration of technology for collaborating with dissertation committees? Doctoral scholar participants described the importance of technological literacy within dissertation committees, most indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the importance of fluency with technology. Other participants portrayed the importance of technological literacy within …

University Admissions Leaders Rethink Recruitment Strategies In The Wake Of Covid-19, Emily R. Albright, Elizabeth A. Schwanke

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

In the wake of COVID-19, university admissions leaders were challenged to rethink recruitment strategies and practices. This qualitative research inquiry explored how admissions leaders changed student recruitment strategies in response to the inability to connect with prospective students in-person. The study collected data from six university admissions leaders in the Midwest region of the United States. Systems theory and the concept of organizational adaptation supported this investigation. Findings of the study reveal challenges admissions offices faced in response to the pandemic, identify new recruitment strategies developed by admissions leaders, and information what strategies may comprise the future of recruitment. Three …

Speaking Of Disruption: Experiences Of Speech Faculty In Transitioning Face-To-Face Courses To Remote Instruction, Amanda Ratcliff

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Online learning is not new to higher education, but the rapid transition from face-to-face instruction to virtual course delivery in the middle of an academic term due to the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for better training and preparation (Mseleku, 2020). This qualitative study explored the experiences of speech and communication faculty members (N = 5) who were required to swiftly transition to online teaching with short notice. Based on faculty perspectives, findings reveal the need for recognizing different pedagogical approaches to distance education, the need for more faculty training to teach online, the need for engagement and interaction with …

Prologue, Barbara D. Holmes

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This edition focuses on the need to support graduate student writers in the process of developing academic identity. Graduate students benefit from encouragement to write more and to have reliable outlets for the publication of that writing. The editorial staff of JAEP is committed to creating student-friendly, intentional, targeted support for advanced graduate writers.

College Athletes’ Safe Return To Play: Perceptions Of Strength And Conditioning Training In A Midwest University, Reid Peters

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This study focused on exploring the lived experiences of student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic at a midwestern university in the United States of America. Survey responses from collegiate athletes regarding perceptions of strength and conditioning training during the pandemic uncovered meaningful information to inform practices of strength and conditioning personnel during unexpected disruption to daily operations. Sixteen student athletes from a Midwest university were the respondents providing feedback to open-ended survey questions during fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Student perspectives offer important insight about cares and concerns that athletic administrators, coaches and institutional leaders should consider when developing …

Non-Profit Leaders Confronting Challenges Presented By Covid-19, Tennille Spears

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Little is known about the totality of the challenges non-profit leaders are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores how non-profit leaders are adapting to challenges caused by COVID-19. This paper presents an inquiry into participatory action research questions with responses from non-profit leaders’ firsthand experience with the challenges faced during the pandemic. The study collected data from three non-profit leaders in Wisconsin. Crisis management conceptual framework supports this investigation. The findings of this study reveal challenges non-profit leaders face in response to the pandemic include identifying new skills needed by non-profit leaders, and gaining information on the financial …

Midwest University Coach Perspectives On Student-Athlete Recruitment During Unprecedented Disruption, Jonah Bradley

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Recruiting student-athletes is one of the fundamental elements of success for college-level athletic coaches. The COVID-19 pandemic made student-athlete recruitment next to impossible due to restrictions on in-person activities. Utilizing Participatory Action Research (PAR), this study sought to understand the experiences of four athletic coaches in one Midwest college basketball program. Three themes from this study that informed the recruitment process during disruption were: theme 1: traditional recruiting replaced with technology-enabled recruiting. theme 2: inability to engage in person hinders interactions and communication, and theme 3: roster management and player development inconsistent with disruption. This study reveals a need for …

Black Women Leaders In Municipal Government: Leading With Ability, Agility, And Authenticity, Chao Mwatela

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This research study explored skills and competencies that Black women need to achieve upward mobility into leadership roles in municipal government in the United States (US). The study also reveals how Black women navigate the intersection of race and gender in upward mobility. Three Black women in leadership roles in municipal government during the fall semester of 2021 participated in the study. Feminist leadership theory for social transformation and the theory of intersectionality supported this study. Responses provided insights into abilities needed for upward mobility, strategies Black women use to address the intersection of race and gender in upward mobility, …