Education Commons^™

Mechanism For Leadership Development And Effectiveness: The Relationship Between Followership, Leadership, And Psychological Capital, Saurabh Gupta

Dissertations

Research supports the strategic role of a leader in improving individual and organizational performance (Day et al., 2009; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013). Developing leadership and enhancing leadership effectiveness remains at the forefront of organizational strategic plans (Day et al., 2009; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013). However, a majority of leadership development efforts fail in their purpose, which causes a leadership crisis in many organizations (Fernández-Aráoz, Roscoe, & Aramaki, 2017; Gurdjian, Halbeisen, & Lane, 2014; Kaiser & Curphy, 2013; Madanchian, Hussein, Noordin, & Taherdoost, 2017; Pfeffer, 2015; Wakefield, Abbatiello, Agarwal, Pastakia, & van Berkel, 2016). Neglecting the role of followership and using …

Voluntary Professional Development In Thailand: Teachers’ Motivation, Professional Life Phase, And Contingencies Of Self-Worth, Pongwat Fongkanta

Dissertations

To address the increasing focus on teacher proficiency, professional development opportunities for teachers are routinely provided in Thailand. The focus of this work is on professional development at the individual level and addresses teachers’ motivation for self-improvement and their own worth. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to first validate the relative importance of teachers’ motivation for participating in voluntary professional development and contingencies of self-worth. Secondly, the study sought to determine the relationship of the indicators that contribute to teacher participation with contingencies of self-worth. Lastly, this study examined in what way professional life phase may be related …

Resilience And College Persistence: Characterizing Students Who Have Failed Courses, Mary Merrifield

Dissertations

Students who fail a course early in their college careers are at risk of leaving college before completion of their programs. Little is known about this high-risk group and why some members of this group complete their programs while others do not. This research addressed this gap in the college-level persistence literature by focusing first on differences between completers and non-completers, then on differences between students who fail a course early in their college careers but become completers or non-completers. The goal was to understand the protective value of individual traits beyond the prediction of risk based on membership to …

An Analysis Of African-American Faculty Experiences During The Tenure Process, Katrina M. Hubbard

Dissertations

Abstract

How faculty allocate their time among research, teaching, and service, and the perceived quality of that work determines whether faculty obtain tenure or are released from the university (Bellas & Toutkoushian, 1999; Link, Swann, & Bozeman, 2008; Price & Cotten, 2006). Prior research indicated that African-American faculty comprised 4.5% of the faculty at high-activity research institutions and 3.5% of faculty at very-high-activity research institutions (The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac 2016-2017, 2016).

The purpose of this study was to 1) document African-American faculty experiences during their tenure probationary period at PWI research institutions; 2) compare faculty experiences during the …

Validation Of The Barkley Deficits Of Executive Functioning Scale-Short Form, Brian Sheble

Dissertations

The Barkley Deficits of Executive Functioning-Short Form (BDEFS-SF) is a short rating scale measuring executive functioning in adults. The BDEFS-SF was developed using the 5 highest loading questions from the BDEFS-LF. Consequently, the psychometric qualities of the BDEFS-SF were not investigated using formal methods. In this study, the psychometric attributes of the BDEFS-SF were examined using two separate but similar groups. The first group of 264 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF via an internet survey. The second group of 36 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF and individualized assessments of executive …

A Study Of The Protective Factors That Foster Resilience In Teachers, Zundra Gates

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the protective factors of teachers in various fields: discipline, tested and non-tested subject areas, and teacher certification route. The study involved 161 kindergarten to twelfth grade Mississippi teachers who were full-time during the 2016-2017 school year. The 36-item Resiliency Questionnaire was used to measure the presence of six protective factors. The six protective factors that were examined on the questionnaire are: purpose and expectation (PE), nurture and support (NS), positive connections (PC), meaningful participation (MP), life guiding skills (LGS), and clear and consistent boundaries (CCB). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test …

The Influence Of An Electronic Attendance Monitoring System On Undergraduate Academic Success, Charles Childress

Dissertations

Investing in human capital development increases education levels, workplace skills, and boost individual abilities. Undergraduate students who attend class and perform well are more likely to get jobs, due to their development of workplace skills. State governments, as the funding bodies for public universities, are finding it beneficial to increase the number of college graduates because a citizenry that is prepared for the job market is ultimately good for the state. States recognize that an increase in education can produce job opportunities for citizens. University administrators can employ tactics to increase graduation rates, one of which is monitoring students’ class …

Estimating Wasi Iq Scores To Assist In Identifying Elementary School Gifted Students, Debra Garrett Pregler

Dissertations

Identifying gifted students early is important so they may receive adaptations in their learning environment including admittance into gifted programs (Subotnik, Olszweski-Kubilius, & Worrell, 2012). An effective method to increase the likelihood of identifying gifted students is needed (Pfeiffer, 2003). Admission at the elementary level primarily uses the individually-administered intelligence test; yet, the test is only administered to students nominated to the gifted program. The purpose of this study was to determine if individually-administered IQ test scores were related to specific information available to the elementary school counselor to aid in the determination of unidentified gifted elementary school students who …

In Pursuit Of Transformative Learning: Exploring The Stimulation Of Curiosity Through Critical Reflection In The College Classroom, Bo Y. Bae

Dissertations

Educators in higher education are faced with growing pressures to shift pedagogical practices in order to accommodate the growing population of learners and improve student learning outcomes. While the acquisition of knowledge and skills are important to the learning process, they are insufficient in preparing students to function in rapidly changing environments. Curiosity is a vital component in the learning process that, when stimulated, has the potential to increase students’ capacity to think critically. Implementing teaching practices that intentionally focus on how curiosity can be stimulated and enhanced develops students’ abilities to access higher levels of thinking that are essential …

Bullies And Allies Near The Playground: Mothers' Experiences Of Aggression In Their Children's Schools, Mara Vicente Robinson

Dissertations

Despite an increasing understanding of the importance of both parent-involvement and aggression among women, there appears to be little understanding of how these two areas influence each other; specifically, the lack of literature examining the extent to which female guardians experienced aggression from other female guardians and the effect it had on their involvement in their children’s schools. In an effort to investigate the extent to which aggression was prevalent among female guardians, the factors that influenced the aggression, and the effects of that aggression on women’s involvement in their children’s education, a convergent parallel mixed methods design was used …

The Academic And Social-Emotional Effects Of Classroom Service Dogs/Specialized Therapy Dogs With Handlers On Student Learning And Behavior In K-12 Special Education Students In Emotional/Behavioral Disordered Placements As Perceived By Their Teachers, Sharon Kalkoske

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to determine and describe the academic and social-emotional effects of classroom service dogs/specialized therapy dogs with handlers on student learning and behavior in K-12 special education students in Emotionally/Behaviorally Disturbed (EBD) placements as perceived by their teachers.

Methodology: This study utilized qualitative data from semistructured, open-ended interview questions to analyze the research questions regarding the perceptions of teachers and educators on service dogs/specialized therapy dogs with handlers on student learning and behavior in K-12 special education students in EBD placements. The population for this study included educators working in special education classrooms …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

An Ethnographic Investigation Into The Influence Of Bandura’S Four Psychological Sources Of Information On Mid-Career Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Mayra Herrera

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic investigation was to examine and describe the experiences that impact mid-career elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs based on Bandura’s four psychological sources of information.

Methodology: An ethnographic research design was utilized in this study to collect data from 15 mid-career elementary school teachers in Riverside County, which is located in Southern California. A semi-structured interview protocol was utilized to gather the rich accounts of situations that impacted the self-efficacy beliefs of participants.

Findings: From the examination of data collected from the 15 ethnographic one-on-one interviews, the following findings emerged: (a) Teachers feel validated from positive …

Factors Related To Ethnocultural Empathy Among White Counselor Education Faculty: Implications For African American Male Students., Courtney R. Boddie

Dissertations

Cultural competence represents a central element of the professional practices exhibited by professional counselors and counselor educators (CACREP, 2016). Inconsistent with the place it holds in the field, cultural competence has been minimally studied among those responsible for gatekeeping, teaching, supervision, and research – faculty. Among variables relevant to measurable outcomes is ethnocultural empathy (EE), ideal as it is described as a combination of empathic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward others with whom you have differences in cultural identities and experiences (Wang et al., 2003). This study sought to add to the body of literature on the cross-racial interactions between …

Increasing The Buy-In And Effectiveness Of A Social And Emotional Learning Class Program In A Single Sex, Urban And Charter High School: Social And Emotional Learning Specialists And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Social-emotional learning has yet to be implemented in many schools in America. Without adequate social and emotional skills, students struggle to navigate their academic and social environments. Students attending a single-sex, urban charter school participated in focus groups and completed surveys about their perceptions of a social-emotional learning program that was implemented during the 2015–2016 school year. Social-emotional learning facilitators completed surveys and participated in focus groups to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Graphs and themes based on the information gathered from the surveys, open-ended questions, and focus groups were used to analyze the data. Both students …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Character Education Program In A Single-Sex, Urban Charter High School: Learning From Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Students who are taught the Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards are granted skills that help them make positive contributions to society. Well-rounded individuals have acquired abilities that allow them to make sound decisions, interact with others, and develop self-awareness skills. Adept individuals who have the skills to teach students strategies that help them to develop an emotional intelligence should implement character education programs using evidence-based strategies. Students who attended a single-sex charter school in an urban area participated in a program evaluation to determine if it was being implemented with fidelity. Students and program implementers …

A Look At Emotional Intelligence: A Qualitative Study Of Peer Mentorship Via Circle Of Friends, Christopher De Loach

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of former Circle of Friends (CoF) nondisabled peer mentors of students with multiple disabilities to discover how this mentorship program impacted Daniel Goleman’s four dimensions of emotional intelligence.

Methodology: This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design. In qualitative designs, the researcher seeks to welcome the subject’s voice into a chorus that contributes to the summative ballad of the sample. The researcher must seek to be a neutral conduit that captures those voices. Thus, the researcher in this study interviewed 14 former peer friends from the CoF program …

The Role Of Conversation In How Educational Services Assistant Superintendents Lead Change, Lisa Paisley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors that exemplary educational services assistant superintendents practice to lead their organizations through conversation as depicted by Groysberg and Slind’s (2012b) 4 elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, and intentionality. Methodology: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used in this study in order to describe the lived experiences and behaviors of exemplary leaders. The target population was educational services assistant superintendents in Southern California. Participants were selected using a purposeful, nonprobability, convenience sampling. Data gathering took the form of semistructured, in-depth interviews, observations, and artifact collection. Interviews were …

An Ethnographic Investigation Into The Influence Of Bandura’S Four Psychological Sources Of Information On Late-Career Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Ginger Prewitt

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic investigation was to examine and describe the experiences that impact late-career elementary teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs based on A. Bandura’s four psychological sources of information and serves as part of a thematic dissertation with each researcher focusing in a different teacher career stage.

Methodology: Through qualitative methodology utilizing one-on-one interviews of elementary public school teachers with 24 or more years of experience, data was analyzed using the theoretical framework of A. Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy information.

Findings: Analysis of data from interviews of 15 late-career elementary teachers from five school districts in Riverside County, …

Understanding And Describing The Impact Of Self-Concept On Weight Loss As Perceived By African American Women, Tchicaya Missamou

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to understand and describe the impact of Bracken’s (1992) six domains of self-concept (affect, academic, competence, family, physical, and social) on weight loss as perceived by African American women.

Methods. This study employed a sequential mixed-methods exploratory design. A web-based survey was administered with 66 respondents, followed by in-person interviews with 10 participants. Data were collected from African American women who participated in a fitness and weight loss challenge and lived in the greater Los Angeles Area.

Findings. The extent to which each domain affected participants’ ability to lose …

Parents' Satisfaction In Non-Title-I And Title-I Schools Within The Archdiocese Of Chicago, Alex Hill

Dissertations

Parents' attitudes about their children's schools matter. Their views can shape their children's attitude about school and influence their residential and school enrollment decisions. This paper describes the use of two survey scales, an existing survey, Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey and a survey developed by the research, Parent Survey, to assess parents' level of satisfaction at their child's school. Specifically, one Catholic school that has students who are recipients of Title-I funds and one Catholic school that does not have students who are recipients of Title-I funds were used in this study. The Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey is a Likert scale used …

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With A Teacher Component: Outcomes Examined In A School Setting, Kelly Marie Holmes

Dissertations

Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011; Kronenberg et al., 2010). Fortunately, there are interventions that can ameliorate these problems. In particular, trauma-focused, interventions are effective in reducing trauma related symptomatology and problems among youth (Cary & McMillen, 2012). Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011). Additionally, most youth receive mental health services in schools (Green et al., 2013). Fortunately, there are school-based, trauma-focused interventions that have been found to …

Home/School Collaboration And The Development Of A Growth Mindset Within Gifted Students, Lauren A. Carlson

Dissertations

Studies show that curricula related to mindset can have a positive effect on increasing growth mindset in students. Literature also suggests that messages students receive from parents about their skills and hard work can have implications for mindset development. In this project, the researcher explored the knowledge, exposure, and involvement of parents of gifted students in a small suburban K-8 school district with regard to growth mindset instruction. The researcher also explored how teachers can increase home school collaboration in regards to growth mindset concepts. The researcher used a survey questionnaire and a semi-structured interview through a focus group format …

The Mckinney-Vento Act: Moving Beyond Aspirations To More Effective Implementation, Michael Cermak

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to investigate teachers' knowledge of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McK-V; the Act) and their perceptions of how to best meet the needs of the population of homeless students in schools. The literature base has shown that implementation of the Act has been largely inconsistent due to the lack of formal implementing regulations and a lack of awareness on the part of many educators. A professional development presentation was developed for teachers in order to increase their knowledge, and following the use of a pre/post/ delayed post-test survey, ascertain the impact of …

The Real Deal: A Program Evaluation Of A Teen Pregnancy Program, Sejla Dizdarevic

Dissertations

Teen pregnancy rates within the United States continue to be the highest amongst developed countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Real Deal, a teen pregnancy prevention program currently implemented in a high school in a Midwestern state, has a short- and/or long-term impact on students' a) perceptions of taking care of a baby by oneself, b) abstaining from sexual activities, c) delaying pregnancies until obtaining a post-secondary education, and d) delaying pregnancies until after marriage. Furthermore, the study evaluated staff perceptions on a) ease of program implementation and b) adequacy of the content within the …

Socio-Ecological Moderating Factors In The Grit-Academic Achievement Relationship, Keeshawna Brooks

Dissertations

There has been a recent focus in research on a concept that centers on an individual’s ability to be persistent in the pursuit of their goals. This concept, referred to as grit, is an addition to the conversation about noncognitive measures that show promise to positively affect student academic performance. However, with the salient focus on the individual qualities that contribute to student success, it is important to avoid looking at these student qualities in isolation from the socio-ecological milieu (Ysseldyke, Lekwa, Klingbeil, & Cormier, 2012). Situating individual student qualities within Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological framework can be particularly helpful when seeking …

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of The Social Emotional Needs Of Middle School Students, Vicky Karahalios

Dissertations

Middle school is a critical transition for all school-aged youth. On a personal level they experience rapid changes across several areas of development. Their environment simultaneously adapts as schools’ expectations seem greater and social pressures arise. During this juncture, they are more vulnerable to academic and psychological difficulties. Research findings demonstrate how positive school climates have the ability to moderate the detrimental effects of middle school students’ self-criticism on internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Kuperminc, Leadbeater, & Blatt, 2001). Historically schools have responded to the social emotional challenges students face at an individual level, however these finding points to the importance …

An Examination Of School Psychologists’ Exposure To And Preparedness To Support Transgender Students In Schools, Natalie Meier Meier

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine school psychologists’ professional practice in relation to transgender youth. The frequency with which school psychologists engage in the professional guidelines outlined by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) in their position statement: "Safe Schools for Transgender and Gender Diverse Students" was explored as well as school psychologists’ feelings of preparedness to complete these duties. Results indicate rural practitioners and school psychologists in elementary and middle schools feel the least prepared to implement the NASP best practices for serving transgender students. School psychologists working in non-rural and high school settings with more …

Entre Dos Tierras: Between Two Lands: Stories Of Latinx Immigrant Students In Us Public High Schools, Yahaira Diaz

Dissertations

The election of the 45th president of the United States has increased a sense of anxiety, fear, and xenophobia for many in our country. The divisive campaign and current discussion of policy is demeaning towards LGBT communities, people with disabilities, women, and ethnic minorities, specifically the immigrant population. The nation’s current preoccupation with and much deserved attention towards a comprehensive immigration reform and the continuance of immigration into the United States has impacted the rise of anti-Hispanic hate crimes and xenophobia (Shihadeh & Barranco, 2013; Stacey, Carbone-Lopez, & Rosenfeld, 2011; Yakushko, 2009). Educators report an increase in hostility against immigrants …

Shaping Black Boys: Exploring School Construction Of Masculinity And The Impact On Black Male Scholastic Perceptions Toward Academic Achievement And Schooling, Kisha V. Jenkins

Dissertations

African American boys face unique challenges. They are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than any other racial group (Losen, 2015). Equally disturbing, African American male students are largely suspended for more subjective and ambiguous reasons such as appearing “threatening or disrespectful” (Verdugo, 2007, p. 60). Research on teacher bias in the classroom has indicated that “African American males are generally viewed as possessing characteristics incongruent with academic success (e.g., laziness), valuing athletics over academic accomplishments, and having a propensity toward aggression and violence” (Thomas & Stevenson, 2009, p. 162). These issues experienced by African American males …