Beneath The Badge: Exploring The Complexities Of Police Culture And Mental Health, Kymberly Briggs

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) endeavours to address the intricate challenges embedded within police culture regarding their approach to responding to mental health alteration. Within the context of the Blue Virtue Police Service (BVPS; a pseudonym), the ramifications of mental health alterations among officers are profound and influence various aspects of the organization, such as sick leave utilization, leaves of absence, officer performance, community relations, and incidents involving the use of force. This DiP aims to tackle the specific problem of practice (PoP) question: What strategies can the BVPS adopt to encourage help-seeking behaviour and foster mental wellness among its officers? A …

Equity And Consistency: Resettlement Needs Assessment And Referral Service Standards For Government-Assisted Refugees, Umashanie Reddy

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The dissertation-in-practice (DiP) addresses the equity and consistency of the resettlement needs assessment and referral service standards for government-assisted refugees (GARs) within the confines of defined autonomy and equity, diversity, and inclusion at Safe Haven Refugee Resettlement Sector, a midsize national resettlement sector in Canada. The current service standards are inequitable and inconsistent, and their application marginalizes GARs. In the DiP, I adopt and adapt an integrated Euro-Afro-Indigenous Ubuntu transformative leadership approach rooted in a decolonizing lens and embedded in equity by addressing inequitable social conditions of a community-in-practice service that causes injustices. The change implementation plan, enacted on the …

Stimulating Faculty Participation In Supporting And Developing Change Initiatives, Stephen Robert Scott

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The School of Business at Oceanic College (a pseudonym) is focused on developing initiatives aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN Global Compact Principles for Responsible Management Education. The process has been top-down driven, with limited participation by the faculty in developing initiatives and activities. The faculty members work on initiatives mainly in isolation with limited collaboration or coordination, reducing the overall participation levels. The problem of practice to be addressed in the School of Business is how to stimulate participation from faculty at the grassroots level in generating change initiatives or new approaches that would support the …

Cultural Duality In International School Leadership: Navigating Transformational Change For Organizational Improvement In Mainland China, James F. Davis

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In the context of leading international schools in Mainland China, amidst the backdrop of globalization and cultural diversity, traditional leadership ideals are proving inadequate in navigating the complexities of contemporary organizational change. This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) delves into the concept of dual-cultured leadership as both the catalyst for the struggle, and the core component of any solution uniquely tailored for this environment. By acknowledging the coalescence of diverse cultural influences within leading educational institutions, this study probes the fusion of local organizational ethos with the broader global milieu, recognizing it as the cornerstone of effective leadership in the Mainland China context. …

Balancing Workplace Flexibility And Responsive Service Models In A Postpandemic Learning Services Department, Erin Howard

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Following the end of the public health emergency of COVID-19, workplaces began to navigate the need to provide flexibility for employees who valued its positive effects on well-being and productivity. In hopes of retaining employees, many colleges developed policies and procedures for flexible work arrangements, including remote and hybrid work arrangements, whilst attempting to maintain in-person support needs. Workplace leaders are often torn between balancing employee flexibility and campus partners' expectations, and they face complexities such as manager bias and inconsistent policy application. This emerging paradigm of hybrid teams is challenging to implement due to the newness of policies and …

Wyi Wah! Mamaskacikiwey Itota: An Integration Of Indigenous Culture And Academics At A Manitoba High School, Wayne B. Davies

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Indigenous student success has been a long-standing challenge for schools in Manitoba, as in other areas of Canada. This Dissertation-in-Practice examines the central question of how a high school that employs the same programming for all students has been effective with non-Indigenous students but has struggled to engage and assist Indigenous students. Albeit from different perspectives, Indigenous caregivers, their children, and the staff who support those students, agree that change is necessary. Research is clear that student voice is a necessary component of school success. It also points to the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing, the desire of Indigenous caregivers to …

Creating An Educative Approach To Academic Integrity Within An Ontario College Public–Private Partnership, Sara Mezzone-Budd

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

This dissertation-in-practice investigates the impact of limited proactive educational practices to support academic integrity at the College of Central Ontario (TCCO; a pseudonym) in a public–private partnership (PPP) with a private career college (PCC). Addressing this significant leadership problem of practice is needed, as academic integrity underpins institutional reputation, the validity of academic credentials, graduate credibility, and workforce competencies. Students’ cultural socialization and educational environment play pivotal roles in shaping their understanding of integrity and practice of ethical decision-making. Thus, international students studying at TCCO-PCC benefit from ethical leadership and tailored support to uphold expected institutional integrity standards. It …

Strengthening Administrative Structures To Enhance Community-Partnered Research, Pippa Seccombe-Hett

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Post-secondary institutions across Canada are grappling with how to advance reconciliation and equity in education and research. This challenge is amplified in northern Canada, where northern residents have long sought equity in the Arctic and northern research ecosystems, yet the population has historically been excluded from research programs and research leadership. This paper is focused on exploring how a community college in northern Canada should invest in developing institutional support for research and expanded research capacity as it transforms into a polytechnic university. The community college serves a remote population where the majority of residents are Indigenous, and the institution …

Creating A Culture Of Knowledge-Sharing Within The Public Sector: A Collaborative Approach, Jennifer L. Saulnier

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The Department of X is a public sector provincial department moving towards a more modernized approach to client service delivery. The Department of X is a mature organization with clearly defined reporting and hierarchical structures, where employees are organized by branches, units, and teams. Employees on each team bring a variety of unique skill sets; however, it is noticeable that work teams create their own subcultures, known as siloes, as a result of the structure, leading to systemic issues, such as lack of communication across teams. Employees often feel less engaged in the overall achievement of the department’s goals, and …

Hire Education: Work Integrated Learning And Sense Of Belonging For International Students, Alexandre (Sash) Querbach

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

International students in Canadian institutions of higher education face multiple barriers to experiencing a full sense of belonging. While these barriers impact their ability to engage fully with their academic programs, they also affect opportunities for post-graduation employment. Work integrated learning has many pre- and post-graduation benefits for students, including increased opportunities for employment. In this dissertation-in-practice, the problem of practice presented explores sense of belonging through the role work integrated learning plays in international students securing post-graduation employment. It proposes an alternate program stream for international students that provides access to work integrated learning opportunities. This stream embeds targeted …

Weaving New Stories: Decolonizing And Transforming Secondary Schools For Equity, Belonging, And Learning, B. M. Lynn Archer

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

School belonging is important for adolescents’ psychological wellbeing, identity formation, and academic achievement, yet there is an equity and belonging gap as approximately half of secondary students surveyed in British Columbia (BC) indicate a lack of school belonging. To address the need for belongingness, this Dissertation-in-Practice, set in a diverse, suburban BC school district, focuses on decolonizing and transforming praxis in secondary schools for equity, belonging, and learning. Fostering equitable school-wide praxis is a problem of practice for school leaders as secondary schools continue to function within the Eurocentric hegemony of Western, individualistic perspectives. A two-eyed change model combining Indigenous …

Redressing The Underrepresentation Of Racialized Faculty At An Ontario Polytechnic, John Stilla

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Racialized faculty are underrepresented across Ontario’s colleges of applied arts and technology. This dissertation-in-practice (DiP) uses critical theory and critical race theory to position the underrepresentation of racialized faculty in the delivery of curricula as a problem of practice (PoP) within a Faculty at an Ontario polytechnic. This underrepresentation not only contributes to homogenous teaching and learning but also can create a negative climate for racialized students who do not have the opportunity to see their identities reflected in the faculty teaching them. Racialized faculty also face significant challenges as minorities navigating spaces in which they do not feel a …

Improving Student Engagement In Online Learning: A Case Study Of A Graduate Program In Canada, Ying Alyssa Huang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The landscape of higher education has undergone a transformative shift towards online learning globally since COVID-19. Student engagement in online learning emerges as a pivotal area of inquiry due to its critical role in learning outcomes and academic success. While extensive research has explored student engagement in traditional face-to-face settings, there remains a notable gap in understanding engagement in online learning environments, particularly at the graduate level. Adopting an integrated framework of improvement science and an online student engagement framework, this study examines the engagement experiences of graduate students in a fully online program offered by a Canadian university, utilizing …

Support For Mid-Level Leaders To Build A Learning Organization In Complex Times, Shailau Spivak Mrs.

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

More attention should be paid to an innovative mindset and a framework to support educators in complex educational landscapes. As leaders, we rarely take the time to focus our efforts on preparing schools for the inevitability of change. Agility College (AC) is a school that takes pride in its dedication to teaching and learning. We can rise even higher to support mid-level leaders (MLL) and be better prepared for our school’s future. An emerging problem of practice represented in my dissertation-in-practice which was highlighted during the pandemic was the need for a comprehensive change framework to support innovation and adaptability …

Turning The Dial Towards Belonging: How Leadership Teams Can Support And Sustain Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In An International School Context, Ryan Persaud

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Studies indicate that students who feel a strong sense of belonging - a connection with their school, peers, and teachers - tend to perform better academically. This sense of belonging is particularly influential in boosting the academic outcomes of students from historically marginalized, oppressed, and racially and culturally diverse backgrounds. This Dissertation-in-Practice examines the pivotal roles of culturally responsive and transformative leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within international schools. The problem of practice examines leadership confidence, ability, awareness, and knowledge with DEI. It leverages culturally responsive leadership and transformative leadership to argue for a systemic approach to …

Strategic Transformation Through Collaborative Innovation: Fostering Dynamic Capabilities At A Regional College Campus, Dave Shorey

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) explores the transformative potential of collaborative innovation at Lakeside College’s Peninsula Campus, a rural-serving regional college campus in Ontario, Canada. Employing constructivist and systems thinking, this DiP examines the barriers to innovation and strategic adaptation at the Peninsula Campus. The findings highlight the challenges of systemic underfunding, bureaucratic inertia, underdeveloped dynamic innovation capabilities, and the critical role of leadership in dismantling these barriers. Analysis reveals that a culture valuing cocreation, open communication, shared leadership, and a strong ethical foundation that explicitly commits to community engagement enhances innovation. By enhancing dynamic capabilities, the campus can better sense emergent …

Leading By Serving: Enhancing Collective Teacher Efficacy, Adriana S. Klassen

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The COVID-19 pandemic and neoliberal ideologies in Alberta have presented significant challenges for teachers, especially with the implementation of the new curriculum rollout beginning in 2022. Work intensification has emerged as a considerable problem, adversely affecting teachers' well-being and performance. This Dissertation-in-Practice examines this problem within the context of a public charter school for gifted students. It addresses this issue by focusing on collective teacher efficacy, guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory. A multifaceted leadership approach is adopted to tackle this challenge, guided by servant leadership and supported by instructional leadership, generative leadership, and culturally responsive school leadership. The central …

Overcoming Barriers To Effective Technology Integration In The Engaged, Innovation Classroom, Robert G. Hofstatter

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) aims to support educational leaders in effectively implementing technology in senior grade high school pedagogy to foster deep learning, experiential and intellectually engaging experiences for classroom students. Therefore, this DiP responds to the Problem of Practice (PoP) by deconstructing the existing organizational barriers contributing to the lack of effective technology integration in pedagogy to promote inclusive and equitable student intellectual engagement through a constructivist lens and premised on a foundation of ethics of responsibility, justice and care. Transformational leadership will be used to inspire excitement with the change vision. Distributed leadership will be leveraged to inspire trust …

Principal Leadership From A Settler Canadian's Perspective, Cheryl Ricco

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s (TRC) Calls to Action #7 and #63 focus on the Indigenization and decolonization of schools to create positive change for Indigenous students. To address these specific Calls to Action in an Ontario Catholic elementary school, a critically responsive transformative school leadership approach is required. This approach emphasizes individual and organizational reconciliation that seeks to improve Indigenous students’ academic achievement and well-being in the current colonial structures of the Ontario education system. To create an awareness of these structures, Catholic school leaders must acknowledge their own Settler Canadian identity. In doing so, they develop authentic relationships …

Shakamohtaa: Connecting And Coming Together To Support International Student Career Readiness, Sabreena Macelheron

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

In the evolving Canadian landscape, permanent residency acquisition has undergone a transformative shift from land sales to educational credential procurement. Canadian higher education markets post-secondary qualifications to international students (IS) seeking migration routes, posing nuanced challenges. IS, despite holding higher education credentials, often find themselves relegated to non-field specific jobs due to existing disparities in the Canadian job market. Amid this equation, IS grapple with the essential need for pre-and-post graduate career experiences to fulfill eligibility criteria for permanent residency application. This pursuit extends beyond merely aligning with their credentials, requiring conformity to approved national occupation codes aligned with …

Indigenization Of Postsecondary Education Applied Learning Curriculum Development, Gabriel Y. Chung

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (2015) Calls to Action have awoken Canadian society to the reconciliation. Although there is a growing body of knowledge on the individual topics of Indigenous education, knowledge, and leadership, there is relatively little research bringing together these topics in curriculum development practices in a postsecondary education skilled learning context. My problem of practice (PoP) is one that strives to address a low enrolment of Indigenous adult learners and lower positive outcomes from skilled training programs. Situating this problem from my perspectives as a Canadian-born visible minority Settler on Turtle Island and postsecondary education …

Head, Heart, And Hands: A Relationships First Approach To Indigenizing And Decolonizing Education, Sherra Lee C. Robinson

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Student engagement within District X is at an all-time low. As District X strives for more equitable learning opportunities, they also work to serve the unique and varying needs of students despite the rising physical and mental health concerns, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that shook students and adults alike, resulting in a global collective trauma and led to the shutdown of schools worldwide in March 2020. These issues are especially prevalent within our most underfunded and underserved populations, such as Indigenous populations. As Canadians, Indigenous relations and calls to adopt Indigenous ways of knowing and being …

Transformational Leadership Approach For Encouraging Historically Marginalized Communities To Access Admission To Naturopathic Medicine, Baljit Khamba

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Many healthcare training institutions lack cultural diversity, including naturopathic medicine. One potential reason is a lack of historically marginalized individuals applying to these medical schools. Attracting communities of colour to healthcare professions, like naturopathic medicine is important for improving healthcare access and delivery across all individuals within North America. This OIP explores the lack of diversity in applicants to the naturopathic medical program at a large multi-centre institution. The role that education and mentorship of faculty members can play to improve implicit biases and eventually encourage historically marginalized individuals to apply to the program is explored. Moreover, the OIP presents …

Hiring Criteria And Employability Of Esl/Efl Instructors In The Tesol Job Market In Canada And The United Arab Emirates, Shaden S. Attia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the hiring criteria and employability of ESL/EFL instructors in Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in higher education. It also explored challenges facing instructors and program administrators in today’s global TESOL job market, and how they both tackled these challenges. The study drew on intersectionality and Critical Race Theory and a qualitative methodological approach to answer the research questions. The research methods included an online questionnaire, analyses of online job advertisements and instructors’ journal reflections, and interviews with instructors and program administrators.

The findings indicate that educational qualifications, and teaching experience and certification constituted the primary …

Enhancing Academic Preparedness Of International Students Coming To X University For Post-Secondary Education, Gurneet Singh Anand

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

International students comprise an increasing demographic on Canadian campuses and represent increasing diversity in the higher education sector. Student transitions to higher education relate to concepts of equity and inclusivity with respect to these institutions providing the best chances for all students to succeed. Similar to other higher education institutions in Canada, X University is in the unique and somewhat difficult position of navigating the effects of globalization. As X University has seen steady influxes of international students, the faculty, staff and domestic students are realizing that the international students themselves have been facing integration difficulties within the university and …

Global Mindedness And Its Development Across Space And Time: Illumination Of Lived Experiences From Study Abroad Students And Global Educational Scholars, Haoming Tang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explores the phenomenon of ‘global mindednesses’ and its development as the idealized pedagogical outcome of global/international education. I consider how individuals become globally minded across their life journeys and through study abroad experience under larger conditions and forces. There are three discrete studies in this integrated dissertation format. In the first study, I examined the biographical and autobiographical accounts of thirteen US-based global scholars presented in the edited collection The global education movement: Narratives of distinguished global scholars (Kirkwood-Tucker, 2018). Through a thematic analysis, I identified five major themes in their development of global mindedness: (1) Experiencing war …

Higher Education Students And Digital Literacies: A Systematic Literature Review, Filipe Malafaia Cerqueira

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study is a systematic literature review of digital literacies and students in higher education. It sought to identify the state of knowledge on digital literacies in higher education including what studies have been conducted in this nexus and what remains to be known. The deductive themes drew on two prominent concepts of digital literacies: the Seven Elements of Digital Literacies (Jisc, 2014), and the Charter for 21st Century Literacies (Burnett & Merchant, 2018). The review’s methodology identified 23 studies published in the last five years across 21 countries. The findings suggest that researchers demonstrated interest in discussing how students …

About Dying And Death: Thanatology's Place In Medical Curriculum, Jill Dombroski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explored how healthcare providers engage in advance care planning and end-of-life care conversations. The research explored what shapes their understanding and the extent to which concepts from thanatology they intuitively bring in, explicitly bring in, and maybe fail to recognize. To achieve this, constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methodology guided the design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the findings, which allowed for iteration across interviews and analysis with existing theories and data in the literature. The CGT design encouraged further engagement with the literature in an ongoing iterative fashion as well as with the analysis of the data. …

We Are More Than Baskets, Beads, And Bannock: Expanding Teachers’ Knowledge Through Indigenous Professional Development And In-Service Training, Corinne Chappell

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores Megwe'g School Board's (MSB, pseudonym) ongoing challenge to integrate Indigenous education into classrooms. The underlying cause is the need for Indigenous professional development and in-service learning opportunities for teachers to teach Indigenous education. Indigenous cultural teachings are embedded within the province's curriculum but are seldom taught as directed by the provincial curriculum guide. Three proposed solutions to the Problem of Practice will be examined. The Appreciative Inquiry change model was utilized as the framework for leading change for the selected proposed solution. Critical Indigenous Theory (CIT) was chosen for the Organizational Improvement Plan. CIT …

Admission Policy Review: Strengthening Indigenous In-Community Training Programs, Rennais C. Gayle

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Canada’s colonial past significantly impacts prospective Indigenous student postsecondary enrollment. For the past fifty years, postsecondary institutions have focused on assimilation and cultural renewal. One assumption is Indigenous learners share similar educational experiences including ease and access to westernized high school programs with a credit or term system and ease and access to transcripts and criminal records checks often required for postsecondary admission. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) addresses the Problem of Practice (PoP) in admission procedures that do not consider Indigenous knowledges, experiences, and criteria for entry into postsecondary programming in SMH Department at LAC College. As an academic …