Education Commons^™

Personal Disruption Strategies Used By Latina Superintendents For Career Advancement, Dina Hernandez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe the perceived impact of Johnson and Mohr’s (2013) five disruptive career skills on Latina superintendents’ advancement to an executive leadership position.

Methodology: Using an explanatory mixed methods approach, this research studied the experiences of eight Latina superintendents in California. Data was gathered through a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Quantitative data involved collecting responses and calculating mean scores, while qualitative data was gathered through semi structured interviews. Combining quantitative and qualitative data allowed for an in-depth evaluation and the development of themes from survey …

Personal Power Tactics African American Female Superintendents Employ To Overcome Four Identified Self-Sabotaging Behaviors, Angela Brantley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe personal power tactics that African American female superintendents employ to overcome the four identified self-sabotaging behaviors from the Self Sabotaging Framework adapted from Lerner (2012), Ryder and Briles (2003).

Methodology: This study identified and described the lived experiences of seven female African American superintendents across the United States. This research design encompassed a sequential data collection method using an electronic survey instrument, followed by one-on-one interviews. Based on the quantitative and qualitative data, the researcher was able to triangulate data using the trends, categories, and patterns …

Practices To Recruit And Retain Teachers Of Color In Rural Minnesota Schools, Eric Hudspith

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study delves into the relationships between strategic recruitment and retention practices implemented by rural Minnesota school districts and the recruitment and retention rates of teachers of color within these districts. The research assesses whether districts implementing strategic recruitment practices demonstrate a higher proportion of teacher candidates of color and subsequent hiring rates compared to their peer districts. The study also investigates the relationships between strategic retention practices and the actual retention data observed in districts. Participants included administrators representing districts identified as rural that have a significant percentage of students of color. were selected based on predetermined criteria encompassing …

Improving School Culture: Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Culture In A Title I School And Their Beliefs About Improvement, Gina Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to promote a positive school culture in a Title I school by listening to veteran teachers’ voices about the policies and practices being implemented daily. The primary research question guiding this case study was: What are the perceptions of teachers, who have been in their position for 15+ years, about school culture in a Title I school? The secondary research question guiding this study was: What changes in policies and practices in a Title I school do veteran teachers suggest might improve school culture? Participants were purposefully sampled and included four classroom teachers …

The Complex Art Of Wearing Multiple Hats: A Case Study Analysis Of Dual-Role Administrators In Rural School Districts, Abi Van Regenmorter

Dissertations and Theses

Both superintendents and principals create a foundation for student achievement, school culture, and the vision of a school building or district. When combined, these two, distinct administrative roles become one unique position with less time and resources to fulfill individual job responsibilities. This comparative case study was designed to foster understanding of rural dual-role administrators’ roles, responsibilities, and experiences. A dual-role administrator was defined as an individual serving as a superintendent and principal simultaneously. By interviewing and observing two practitioners and reviewing public documents, this study developed an in-depth investigation of the cases. As a result of this study, there …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy And Emotional Exhaustion In Teacher Considerations Of Job-Related Stressors And Attrition: A Mixed-Methods Study, Raymond Nance

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Teacher attrition is a problem currently afflicting classrooms around the world. Emotional exhaustion and teacher self-efficacy have been demonstrated to be factors in attrition. This study assesses the efficacy of potential tools for use in evaluating emotional exhaustion and self-efficacy before problems arise and to guide professional development in efficacious directions.

This parallel-convergent mixed-methods study performed quantitative regression analyses on the joined effects of emotional exhaustion and self-efficacy to assess their potential mediating role between teachers’ job stressors and considerations of leaving the job. The existence of mediation was demonstrated. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts from six interviews with current …

Culturally Relevant Practices And Community: Increasing Minority Leadership In School Administration To Improve School Climate, Cassandra Suggs, Joy N. Rogers

Dissertations

This dissertation and research looks into the area of Culturally Relevant Practices and Leadership in K-12 schools and the potential effect on all students in having minority leadership present. The research dives into interviews of teachers, hiring leaders, district leaders and building leaders. It also uses survey results from over 700 students, with the central theme of the questions around school safety, climate, culture, support, academics and a sense of belonging. The research purpose was to look into the potential positive effect on students and staff, if Culturally Relevant Practices and hiring of minority leadership was in place within school …

Advocating For The Middle Man: An Explication Of Chair Perceptions On Overcoming Emotion At Work, Brittany Armstrong

Ed.D. Dissertations

The researcher’s study aimed to understand the perceptions of private university department chairs when engaging with emotional intelligence (EQ) at work. The qualitative approach provided the boundaries for the voice and the experience of the participants as the researcher collected interviews, department meeting minutes, and department program reviews from a sample of five department chairs across three, private universities. The following departments served as the study’s population: mathematics, family and consumer science, business, education, and modern languages. Findings revealed participants perceived job satisfaction through the mediator of emotion. Participants identified the emotional challenges of department chair and perceived emotion within …

Strategies For Supporting Professional Growth In Early Childhood Team Members, Kristin Goetz

Graduate Teacher Education

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers, including pre-service and in-service workers, have reported the need for ongoing professional development support (Boyer, 2004; Buettner, Hye Hur, Jeon & Andrews, 2016; Brown, Cheddie, Horry, & Monk, 2017). Specific targeted support for professionalism was addressed as a retention strategy for the future of ECE (Boyer, 2004). The lack of consistent minimum qualifications for ECE teachers has contributed to a number of teachers in the field having little understanding regarding professionalism as a whole when teacher careers commence. The quality of learning and teaching in the classroom has been said to be largely determined by …

Administrators Of General And Special Education Perceptions Of Leadership Practices For Supporting Inclusive Learning Environments For Students With Disabilities, Kimberly B. Cass

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze general education and special education administrators’ perceptions of leadership practices that support inclusivity of students with disabilities in local public school districts. This study compared inclusive leadership priorities between special education administration and elementary principals across a total of 11 districts. Utilizing Q-sort methodology, special education administrators and principals sorted 40 inclusive leadership statements. The research questions that guided this study were: 1) How are inclusive leadership practice statements ranked similarly and differently among participants? 2) How do participants describe rankings for most and least important inclusive leadership practice statements? …

A Case Study Of Introverted Leadership In A Suburban High School In Central Texas, Jill Reynolds Hotz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introverted leaders are instrumental in building relationships and teams, setting benchmarks and pursuing academic goals, and planning and strategizing the implementation of performance initiatives. This qualitative case study illustrated how Organizational Leadership has been previously isolated to extraverts and clarifies the need for introverted leadership. The purpose of this study was to explore ways in which high school leaders identify themselves as introverts and demonstrate the strengths of introverted leadership within the parameters of their professional roles. This study followed three introverted administrators at a suburban Texas secondary campus. Participants were observed in their professional settings: in meetings, correspondence, duty …

Mental Health And Discipline In California Community Schools, Damien Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if there is a difference in achievement, absenteeism, graduation rates and suspension for students enrolled in community schools that do and don’t have access to school-based mental health services. In addition, it was the purpose to identify and describe the practices most effective in improving attendance, reduction of suspension, achievement and graduation as perceived by community school employees.

Methodology: This mixed-method dissertation attempted to determine the difference between California county community schools for expelled students who have had access to school-based mental health and those who do not as …

An Investigation Of The Experiences Of New Teachers And Their Reasons To Stay In The Classroom, Jessa N. Mcentire

Honors Theses

New teacher attrition rates have increased over the years. Twenty percent of new teachers will leave the profession after three years. That number increases to forty-four percent after five years of teaching. For those just entering the profession, these numbers can be daunting. The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons for this departure and what actions schools employ to help lessen this attrition rate. After screening four teachers to gain a general insight into their experiences, eight teachers with a similar educational background were selected for additional interviews. This study was intended to determine how much of …

How Principals Learn To Be Technology Leaders: A Critical Incident Qualitative Study, Leon R. Edwards Ii

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate how principals learn to be technology leaders by examining the different ways principals learn and exploring the skills principals perceive are needed. The study also examines what principals do differently to develop a successful technology integration (or not). Using the critical incident method, 18 principals were interviewed from across the state. The in-depth interviews were transcribed for all participants interviewed and then analyzed using coding and theming with the aid of memos. From this, three predominant categories emerged: learning, skills, and challenges.

The findings from the study reveal that principals learn primarily …

Exploration Of Growth Mindset Application In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Kelly Jean Rutherford

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

As early as 1988, Carol Dweck began a line of research connecting motivation and intelligence that later became known as mindset theory (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). This study explored the feasibility of applying Dweck’s growth mindset model to challenges in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorder (CSD). Interviews were conducted with higher education administrators who are directly affected by requirements of program standards using a phenomenological design. Findings suggested that growth mindset beliefs and practices are used in many ways across faculty, curriculum, and student domains; however, participants identified growth mindset concepts of willingness to embrace change, learning from …

Childhood Obesity And Absenteeism: Implications For School Leaders, Kyle Johnson

Leadership Education Capstones

This study explored educational leaders’ perspectives on childhood obesity and its effect on absenteeism and school performance and possible measures taken in the future to combat this. This study demonstrated the importance of leaders’ perspectives on childhood obesity and absenteeism in elementary classrooms, the nutrition education that is given to students and their families, and possible measures that should be taken in the future to combat childhood obesity in the nation’s elementary schools.

Character Education In High School Athletics: Activities Director’S Role, Andrew P. Weiers

Leadership Education Capstones

No abstract provided.

Teacher Autonomy In A Site-Managed Charter School: Views Of Autonomy, Autonomy Support, And Their Educational Impact, Kristen Levin

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover how pre-service teachers (PSTs), classroom teachers, and administrators in an urban charter school perceive their own professional autonomy and administrative support by the school, and how the balance of autonomy and support impact their instructional practices. I designed and implemented this research as a single case study of Highland Charter School (a pseudonym), in a Midwestern U.S. city. This study involved seven teachers, three pre-service teachers, six administrators, and the charter sponsor. The case is an independent charter school serving mainly students of low socioeconomic backgrounds, from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. At …

Crisis Communication In Higher Education, Andrea L. Northam

Leadership Education Capstones

No abstract provided.

Perceptions On The 45/15 School Calendar - Should Southland School District Adopt?, Ethan Riggin

Leadership Education Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Administrators On Literacy Instruction Through The Promotion And Selection Of Professional Development, Lucy K. Johnston-Josey

Dissertations

Literacy is a key component to success in school and in life. Literacy has been a focus of education since 1965 when President Jimmy Carter announced a “war on poverty.” Since then, history has shown that educators should place an emphasis on literacy within schools. Because literacy is so important, I set out to explore how administrators influence literacy through the promotion and selection of professional development.

Mississippi was chosen as a basis for the study because it falls below the nation in terms of literacy rates on the National Assessment for Educational Progress assessment. Nineteen participants from four school …

Investigating The Extent Of Collaboration Between Jesuit Administrators And Non-Jesuit Faculty And Staff In Jesuit Secondary Schools In The Eastern Africa Province: Staying True To Mission, Stephen Nzyoki Nduati

Doctoral Dissertations

Investigating the Extent of Collaboration Between Jesuit Administrators and non-Jesuit Faculty and Staff in Jesuit Secondary Schools in the Eastern Africa Province: Staying True to Mission

The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is well known for its educational institutions. Over the years, Jesuits have run excellent schools all over the world. However, Jesuits have also realized the increasing need to incorporate non-Jesuits more fully in their ministry. This dynamic of deeper incorporation of non-Jesuits into Jesuit works is referenced as collaboration.

To enhance this collaboration, Jesuits have produced documents that advocate for collaboration, delineated the path to accomplish collaboration, and the …

Understanding Women's Experiences With Women-Only Leadership Development Programs In Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Approach, Danielle Marie Geary

Dissertations (1934 -)

Previous research indicated that women’s advancement into the leadership and administrative ranks in higher education has stalled over the past twenty years. Studies highlighted the socio-cultural and structural barriers that create challenges for women’s advancement in the academy. This study focused on the use of women-only leadership development programs (WLDPs) as a potential resource for women in the pursuit of advancing their careers. Few research studies to date assess the outcome for women who have attended WLDPs. This study was an in-depth case study of the Women in Higher Education Leadership Summit (WHELS) held at the University of San Diego, …

Latino And Latina Urban Elementary Principals’ Entry Into Educational Administration, José Montaño

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

As school enrollments across the United States include increasing numbers of students of color, the number of administrators of color remains disproportionate. In California school districts, where a large percentage of students are Latino and Latina, Latino and Latina principals remain rare. While studies have suggested why Latinos and Latinas do not enter educational leadership, fewer have examined why they do elect to enter the field. This ethnographic exploratory study examines factors that led Latino and Latina educators to enter administrative leadership preparation programs with the goal of becoming school principals. The sample includes interviews with seven Latino and Latina …

Architechture: Rebuilding The Traditional University For The 21st Century, Sarah E. Shearer

CMC Senior Theses

This senior thesis is an examination of the major complexities and considerations encountered in developing an e-learning program. In light of the changing landscape of higher education resulting from technological advancement, combined with changing pedagogies and financial pressures, traditional institutions are under heightened scrutiny and most in need of innovation. Online learning as been proposed as a solution to many of these issues, but creating a successful program is no small feat. Furthermore, experimental research on specific course designs and delivery often fails upon real-world implementation. Looking through the lens of Design-Base-Implementation Research (DBIR), an emerging research model that seeks …

An Historical Perspective To Examine How Federal Policy Influenced The Definition And Evaluation Of Teacher Effectiveness Since 1950, Janine M. Mathesz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Increased public demand to hold teachers accountable for student learning and to remove ineffective teachers has challenged state department of education officials to develop teacher evaluation systems that include student assessment data. Many educational researchers theorize teacher effectiveness is the variable under the control of the school with the most influence on student success.

This study examines the influence of federal government education policies on state teacher evaluation systems and how this influence has shaped the definition and evaluation of an effective teacher over the past 62 years. Teacher evaluations, when used as a proper tool, assist administrators in providing …

A Comparison Of Charter Public And Traditional Public School Principals: Who They Are And How They Function, Jared R. Vickers

Dissertations

In the context of the charter school movement in the last 25 years, this author analyzed the 2007-2008 Schools and Staff Survey (SASS) data to answer two research questions: (a) after controlling for school level and school size what are the differences between traditional and charter public school principals when examining their personal and professional backgrounds in terms of demographics, experience, and education and (b) after controlling for school level and school size what are the differences between traditional and charter public school principals in decision-making, working conditions, and perceptions of the position?

Analyses for research question 1 revealed that …

The Significance Of National Association For The Education Of Young Children Accreditation In Elevating Quality Of Early Childhood Education: Administrators’, Teachers’, And Parents’ Beliefs About Accreditation And Its Process, Kristine Vardanyan

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The following is a doctoral dissertation that studied administrators’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions and attitudes related to an early childhood center/preschool accreditation experience. A qualitative case study of one preschool center focused on the influence that the decision to pursue accreditation and implement the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) self-study process had on administrators, teachers, and parents. Interviews with administrators, teachers, and parents explored (a) issues that motivated the pursuit of NAEYC accreditation; (b) the NAEYC guidelines and their experience of the self-study and quality-improvement process; and (c) their perception of outcomes following accreditation. Current NAEYC …

The Lived Experience Of The Novice Nursing Dean: Exploring The Meaning And Significance, Melissa Rae Bouws

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Deans of nursing hold a unique position for the future of the profession. Few others have the potential to bring about change within the academic setting, or hold such a strong influence on the future of nursing and on our students. Current statistics reveal multiple vacancies in nursing dean positions. Further understanding of how nursing deans begin their role, attain their identity as dean, and successfully execute this important position is needed to recruit and retain strong leaders who have the methods and skills to develop and support the advancement of the nursing profession. Understanding the process of becoming nursing …

Role Clarity And Instructional Technology Support: A Naturalistic Examination Of Various Perceptions Of The Role Of The Itrt Within And Across Three High Schools, Ann Nash

Theses and Dissertations

Role clarity for any individual leads to more successful implementation of his or her job expectations. In a school, there are many individuals with various roles to fill. The Instructional Technology Resource Teacher (ITRT) has multiple roles within a school including: training teachers, designing integrated curriculum, managing learning resources, modeling instructional strategies, acting as a technology resource, assisting content specialists, and preview and recommending software. This study found that stakeholders in schools consistently recognize the ITRT as both a trainer and designer of integrated lessons. Other instructional support roles are recognized only by some stakeholders in schools. When a greater …