Education Commons^™

Fostering The Multicultural Efficacy Of Principal Candidates, Karen D. Jones

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This mixed methods study was completed with principal preparation candidates. Data was collected using the Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES) and focus group interviews. Principal candidates’ multicultural efficacy was measured before and after participating in monthly diversity seminars and reflections. The diversity seminars provided first-person storytelling from diverse members of school communities including individuals from different LGBTQ, race, religion, socio-economic status, and language backgrounds. The study found principal candidates had improved multicultural efficacy at the end of the year-long diversity series. Research shows this could lead to supportive behaviors as social justice-oriented school leaders.

A Case Study For The Leadership Initiative For Supporting (Bilingual) Teacher Acquisition (Lista), Sarah M. Straub, Brian Uriegas, Tingting Xu

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This paper presents a qualitative pilot study program evaluation of the Leadership Initiative for Strategic (Bilingual) Teacher Acquisition (LISTA) program in a rural region of Texas. The LISTA program aimed to empower bilingual leaders in education by addressing the limited availability of leadership coaching, particularly tailored to recognize and affirm the cultural capital of Hispanic/Latino leaders. The sessions were organized and developed by an experienced leadership coach with a strong focus on equity and social justice in the education and nonprofit sectors. Through a methodology encompassing open-ended survey questions, focus groups, and reflective journals, this evaluation assesses the program's impact …

Adjunct Faculty & Institutional Identity: Toward A Model For Acculturation, Tanya M. Tarbutton, Jill L. Swisher

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Institutions of higher education (IHEs) are charged with instilling institutional identity among all employees and this is particularly true for smaller Christian IHEs committed to the Great Commission. Following a case study of a recently dissolved institution, this article suggests that it may be worth the investment to effectively generate institutional identity among adjunct faculty even if doing so requires additional funding or capital. In this paper the authors draw on the tenets of organizational socialization theory coupled with a prescribed curriculum as a conceptual framework designed to generate institutional identity among adjunct faculty. The authors highlight a multi-phased model …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Leaders’ Cultural Competence And Academic Outcomes In Texas Public Schools, Summer Pannell, Brian Uriegas, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This study explored the cultural knowledge (CK) and cultural skills (CS) levels of Texas school leaders to determine if there was a relationship between cultural knowledge and cultural skill as well as between principals’ CK and CS levels and school academic outcomes. In comparing within-group scores, the results indicated CK scores were higher than CS scores in all participant groups. Between-group analysis revealed participants in non-Title I schools scored higher in CK, but Title I school leaders scored higher in CS. Results further indicated school leaders who identified as a member of a marginalized group scored higher in CS but …

A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of School Disciplinary Climate Between Asia And North America Using A Large-Scale International Dataset And Rasch Measurement Theory, Sijia Zhang

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

School disciplinary climate influences student outcomes. As a result, examining differences in principals’ perceptions of disciplinary climate within and across countries and regions may shed some light on decreasing achievement gaps. The quantitative study examined how principals from different geographical locations perceive school disciplinary climate differently with a subset sample obtained from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021 package. School disciplinary climate was measured using the School Discipline and Safety subscale from the School Questionnaire. Results suggested that there existed statistically significant differences in the difficulty ordering of school disciplinary climate across regions, and these differences were …

Perspectives From African American Male Rural School Leaders Regarding Targeted Recruitment Strategies For Future African American Male Rural School Leaders, Chameeka N. Smith, Portia Gibbs-Roseboro

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

African American male educators are becoming extinct in our current United States School system. Representing less than 2% of the teaching force, our recruitment efforts will need adjustments to increase this population of educators in schools (Bristol & Mentor, 2018; Goings & Bianco, 2016; Wallace & Gagen, 2019). To address this concern, our study explores the perspective of African American male rural school leaders on the need to recruit more African American males into educational professions. Through three semi-structured interviews, 60-90 minutes, we identified the lack of opportunities and targeted recruitment strategies for this population into the field of education. …

Changing Teacher Perceptions And Actions Through Trauma-Responsive Professional Development, Jason A. Smith, Marilynn Quick

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Most teachers are not trained on how to support students who struggle with trauma. Childhood trauma not only impacts a teacher’s ability to teach, but also threatens their students’ futures. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions and actions when they participated in trauma professional development. Interviews were conducted with 5 teachers and 10 students in a Midwestern urban intermediate/middle school. By the end of the study, teachers stated that they had begun responding to disruptions in more child-centered approaches, and students noticed that their teachers began treating all students more equitably in trauma-informed manners. The …

The Theory Of Educational Attachment, Marie Lawrence

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Educational attachment bonding helps students to progress academically and to develop strong positive emotional ties with members of the educational community. This educational bond serves as a stabilizing factor and may serve to compensate for deficiencies in early attachment bonds and thus help students develop sound psychological health. Educational attachment bonds can be formed with teachers, school administrators and staff, academic club sponsors, athletic coaches, and staff or any member of the school community. The significance of Educational Attachment Theory demonstrates the need to train educational professionals on the necessity of developing secure attachment bonds with students and to reflectively …

Sorting By Lc Call Number In Excel, Daniel W. Jolley

Dover Library Faculty Professional Development Activities

Sorting by Library of Congress (LC) call number in Excel is problematic because Excel does not treat LC call numbers as numbers. In practice, this means that Excel sorts LC call numbers based on each successive digit in the call number rather than the overall value of each call number. (for example, a call number beginning with PS507 would be sorted after one beginning with PS4998 in a default Excel sort). In this presentation, I demonstrate one method for accurately sorting by LC call number in Excel.

An Evaluation Of The Privacy Policies Of Library Vendors, Daniel W. Jolley

Dover Library Faculty Professional Development Activities

This project aims to evaluate the degree to which various library vendors are taking the privacy of library users into account. In 2018, the Library Freedom Project put together a Vendor Privacy Scorecard analyzing the privacy policies of twelve major vendors, but no follow-up study seems to have been conducted by the Project since then. I intend to conduct my own updated privacy policy audit of these and other significant library vendors (particularly those used by NC LIVE) to gain a better understanding of how well these vendors are accounting for and protecting the privacy of individual library users today. …

A Survey Of Lessons Learnt From Covid-19 By School Administration Interns, Precious Guramatunhu Mudiwa, William M. Gummerson, Barbara B. Howard

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges that threatened the quality and rigor of school administration internships. A survey administered to school interns in a principal preparation program at a large comprehensive university in the southeastern part of the United States revealed a huge difference in experiences and support that students received, based upon differences in existing school infrastructure and their supervising principal. The pandemic necessitated the principal preparation program adapt some internship requirements. The number of hours required to complete the internship was reduced. The building of authentic relationships with students became a greater priority. Finally, more flexibility was allowed …

Differentiating Leadership Styles And Behaviors Of Teacher-Leaders, Joshua Desantis, Stacey N. Dammann, Anastasia Clayton

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The rapidly changing landscape of education necessitates that schools build the capacity to swiftly pivot to new modalities, curriculum, and operations models. Much of the onus for positively responding to these changes falls to teacher-leaders. In many schools, teacher leaders are untrained and designated by virtue of their seniority. The authors posit that differences exist in the leadership styles and behaviors of professional educators depending on their role, status, and professional learning journey. Findings from the present study affirm the existence of some of these differences and, thus, could inform future efforts to designate and train teachers for leadership roles …

A Creative Approach To Promoting And Discussing Social Emotional Learning, Lori B. Doyle, Jill L. Swisher

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Social emotional learning (SEL) is an important topic in education and a desired area of professional development for teachers. This conceptual essay offers a creative approach in promoting and discussing SEL through the use of haiku poetry. The tenets from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework were synthesized into key concepts and presented as haiku poems as a pedagogical exercise to increase awareness on SEL.

Access Does Not Guarantee Inclusion: An Exploration Of Student Organizations Fostering Belonging For Black And Minority Students At A Faith-Based Institution, Heidi Neely

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Black and minority students often do not persist to graduation and voluntarily drop out due to dissatisfaction with the lack of inclusivity and belonging experiences at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). This research examined the sense of belonging and inclusion for Black students at Southern Cross College (SCC; pseudonym), a private, faith-based institution located in an urban city in the southeastern region of the United States. All students are welcomed at SCC; however, there is an obscure caveat. Students whose identities align with specific diverse characteristics (ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religious belief) may find themselves feeling isolated, excluded, and ostracized from the …

A Program Evaluation On The Impact Of South Carolina's Child Early Reading Development And Education Program On Kindergarten Reading Readiness In A Small Rural School District, Brittnay White

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study evaluated the effectiveness of the Child Early Reading Development and Education Program (CERDEP) on kindergarten reading readiness using Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model. The program was implemented in a rural school district in 2014 and the program’s goal is to provide high-quality instruction to at-risk 4-year-olds in a full-day format. The study’s objective was to determine the extent to which the goals of the program have been met. Qualitative data were collected from focus group sessions with prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers to assess CERDEP’s alignment with the assessed needs and implementation fidelity. …

Recent Community College Alumni: Increasing Donors Through Communication And Engagement, Beverly Loraine Rufty

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Due to ongoing financial cuts and budget restraints, community colleges have turned to alumni association fundraising to support their mission and advance their institution. Fundraising for any organization is challenging, but community college alumni institutions have a more difficult time than their university counterparts in recruiting alumni donor support. Community college alumni associations must maintain effective communication to successfully engage recent alumni and build relationships with potential donors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the literature and data collection using a convergent mixed methods design to address the lack of financial support from recent community college alumni. This …

The Communications Process For On-Track Mentoring Programs At The High School Level, Kayla M. Barbare

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Comparable to other schools in the local education agency, this mid-sized rural high school’s On-Track program utilized early warning indicators to track the well-being of students and to determine what actions needed to occur to promote student success. Through various meetings, the mid-sized rural high school’s On-Track stakeholders indicated areas for improvement, specifically in the area of communications. The On-Track program stakeholders expressed how they desired to improve stakeholder involvement and collaboration and enhance how program information is shared. The purpose of this study was to analyze the literature, theoretical frameworks, and data utilizing a mixed methodology approach in order …

The Essentials For Leaders To Motivate Volunteers And Workers, Angelique Burris

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Most organizations were created because there was a need for a service, product, or mission that would assist others in need. When considering what compels volunteers and workers to be consistent in organizations, motivation is imperative. The behavior of leadership, especially the ability to influence, has affected the volunteers and workers of the company in a positive or negative way. Leaders have played a chief role in drawing and retaining workers and volunteers. The purpose of this study was to show that our motivations are already inside of us, and this was key for leaders to realize the importance of …

Making The Grade: An Exploration Of Secondary Teacher Grading Practices And Equity Implications For High School Students, Pamela Williams

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Much has been written in the grading literature regarding the continued use of traditional teacher grading practices that impede effective teaching and learning, yet teachers continue to assign grades using a mixture of factors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore secondary teacher perceptions of their grading practices, the evolution of their grading behaviors, and the alignment of these grading practices with equitable grading principles. Using a teacher decision-making theoretical framework and a conceptual framework focused on pillars of grading equity, this study sought to investigate how teachers perceive their grading practices and how they develop their …

Exploring The Perceptions And Behaviors Of Parental Involvement Of Parents And Teachers In Four Title I Elementary Schools, Tiffani M. Richardson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Some of the benefits of parental involvement in schools are increased attendance rates, better communication between parents and teachers, and positive effects on academics (Duman et al., 2018, Hornby & Lafaele, 2011). Knowing parent and teacher perceptions and behaviors of parental involvement in different contexts provides the data needed to structure programs, policies, and activities that are tailored to the needs of the school. This study is a mixed methods explanatory sequential study that used Likert scale questionnaires and group interviews to explore the perceptions of parental involvement of teachers and parents in four Title I schools. Based on this …

A Contextual Analysis Of The Self-Care Practices Of School Principals In A Rural District, Jennifer R. Croymans

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate current self-care practices used by school principals and the correlation between school principal self-care practices and their alignment with the seven pillars of self-care. This study sought to bring awareness as to the barriers and motivations of current school principals and the impact of those barriers and motivations on effective implementation of principal self-care. In addition, this study provides the district of study and other rural school districts with potential recommendations in order to support current school principals in the proper implementation of self-care practices. A mixed methods approach was used to …

An Analysis Of Mission Statements Of Select South Carolina Alternative Schools To Determine Practicality During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gary Heyward

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted teaching and learning, causing schools to close and to move students to remote learning. Many principals sidestepped the guiding principle for schools, the mission statement, and were instead on a mission to salvage teaching and learning. Environmental entities became crucial to school survival. The open system theory, which framed this qualitatively driven mixed methods study, asserts organizations like schools are strongly influenced by the environment, especially during emergencies. This study explored the extent to which select pre-COVID mission statements showed language similarity, facilitated tenets of the open system theory, and aligned with job responsibilities of principals …

Perceptions Of Paraprofessionals On The Grow Your Own Teacher Program In Three Rural School Districts In Eastern North Carolina, Tony Faison

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The Grow Your Own Teacher (GYOT) program addresses the shortage of qualified teachers by recruiting and training community residents to become qualified teachers. These programs look and feel like community-building strategies instead of teacher pipeline strategies. The GYOT initiative is not new, but the mainstream absorption of the GYOT initiative presents an exciting opportunity to link education policy and neighborhood revitalization more closely. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of paraprofessionals on the GYOT program in three rural school districts in eastern North Carolina. The conceptual framework was based on Yosso's (2005) Cultural Wealth Model, …

Restraining The Disabled: A Program Evaluation Of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention In The Educational Setting, Taner Jarrett

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Students with disabilities are 200% more likely to be restrained by school personnel compared to nondisabled peers (Katsiyannis et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) in de-escalating the risk behavior of children with disabilities from exceptional children (EC) teacher perspectives. This study was a mixed method program evaluation of the Crisis Prevention Institute NVCI program using Daniel Stufflebeam’s (1968) Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation framework. The setting for this study was a large suburban school district in the piedmont region of North Carolina. The sample included 15 NVCI- …

The Impact Of Professional Development On Specially Designed Instruction For Students With A Specific Learning Disability, Stacy H. Huffman

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This research study, rooted in the theoretical framework of phenomenology, examined the impact of professional development related to specially designed instruction for students with a learning disability in reading. Teachers of students who had mastered at least 50% of their IEP goals in reading or had exited from special education services were the participants in this study. In addition to the teachers, administrators and district staff who worked with these teachers and students were included. Through a mixed methods research design, 47 participants were surveyed using Qualtrics, and 14 participants were interviewed. Findings demonstrated that professional development related to specially …

Faculty And Staff Perceptions Of Mental Health Services In The Elementary Schools Of A Rural District, Vera Collins Richardson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff of mental health services at the elementary level in a rural district. Mental health services provided in elementary school settings can ultimately change the outcome of individuals’ lives. Many districts in North Carolina lack the funds to hire mental health counselors, and must rely on elementary school counselors to take the lead in providing students with the mental health care they need. This qualitative case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff and was the primary focus of this research. An analysis of feedback from three elementary …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Connections Between Social And Emotional Learning And Student Success, Beth Ann Hoistad Washle

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative study was about teacher perceptions of how incorporating social and emotional learning addresses the social-emotional needs of students and relates to student success. Teacher perceptions help inform educational leaders and policy makers about the impact social and emotional learning can have on students and their success. The findings of this study led to three emerging themes. Those themes were teachers believe (a) there needs to be direct instruction in social and emotional skills; (b) social and emotional learning helps students academically by becoming self-driven, taking ownership of their learning and actions, building confidence, and persevering through challenging work; …

You Are Not Alone: Engaging Black Men Identified Students Outside Of Shared Identity Spaces, Harry L. Titus Jr.

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Black men identified students who are involved in shared identity spaces at a predominately White institution shared their experiences regarding the reason they do not engage outside of shared identity spaces. The African American Male Theory (AAMT) and Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory provided the framework for this explanatory, mixed methods analysis. An initial survey was conducted that included fifteen responses, followed by individual interviews with five Black men identified students to gain an understanding of the reason they choose not to engage outside of shared identity spaces and to understand what the institution could do to assist with their overall …

The Impact Of Single-Gender Middle School Dance Classes On Participants' Emotional Development, Social Development, And Academic Progress, Cynthia Poke

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Implementing single-gender dance elective programs may promote male students’ social development, emotional development, and academic progress and offset the negative preconceptions of males in dance. Schools that provide their students with single-gender classes vary in their motivation and include a range of learning opportunities that, combined with supportive school and classroom environments, are more likely to result in variable student results (Datnow & Hubbard, 2008). The schools chosen for this analysis were a district public middle school and a private academy that have conducted single-gender dance classes for males over the last few years. There is a need for data …

Distinctiveness In Hospital Safety And Security, Jimmy Reid Rollins Jr.

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand leadership and how these ideas feed into a professional dynamic of employee behavior, organizational leadership, motivation, and workplace culture, and how there is a real human interest as employees excel, grow, mature, and become better individuals.

Participants in this study were employees of a regional health organization and employed with the job title of public safety officer, public safety supervisor, or public safety administrator. This research used a mixed methodology approach in an explanatory design. A survey was completed followed by one on one interviews.

Conducting research into the safety and security …