Education Commons^™

Fostering A Sense Of Online Community: Faculty Reflections Through Narratives, Brittany D. Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support students for success. During the timespan of an online course, strategic pedagogical approaches to fostering a community are essential to enriching the overall learning experience for students. Many studies tend to focus on the challenges faced when building an online community. Still, the …

Etuaptmumk: The Indigenous Principle Of Two-Eyed Seeing As A Remedy For Administrator Resistance In Developing Sovereignty-Affirming Equity Leadership Competencies, Bobbie Jo Lovell

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

School leadership is a critical factor in disrupting systemic oppression and ensuring the achievement and well-being of all students. In Ontario, school administrators are charged with setting an equity agenda to foster safe and equitable learning conditions for all students. This PoP seeks to improve administrators’ mindsets on leading equitable schools, and this organizational improvement plan (OIP) leverages the principles of two-eyed seeing (2ES) to braid together the servant, appreciative, and transformative leadership styles which, stronger together, support sustainable solutions for change. A braided integrated approach of the medicine wheel, the Knoster model for managing complex change, and the appreciative …

Leading For Truth And Reconciliation: Parent, Family And Community Empowerment In The Learning Of Their Children, Shendah M. Benoit

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Almost ten years after the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, there remains much for schools to improve for First Nation, Metis, and Inuit students and their families. Focusing on Call to Action 10.vi: enabling parents to fully participate in the learning of their children, identifies a problem of practice. The impact of residential schools and systemic racism have created a separation between families and their children’s learning as well as a lack of trust in the school. Using the assumptions of positive organizational scholarship to understand the complex system of my school, as well as …

Engaging Health Professionals Toward The Redevelopment Of A Continuing Competence Program, Salima Thawer

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Continuing competence is the combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment of a professional, applied safely and ethically to their practice of the profession. Under the Health Professions Act in Alberta, health regulatory colleges must oversee the continuing competence of their registrants, ensuring they act in the public’s best interest. At Health Professionals Regulatory College (HPRC), over 3500 registrants are accountable to its continuing competence program (CCP). The current CCP, in place for over 15 years, has not integrated collection and analysis of diversity data that may influence individual competence, nor has it evolved with trends toward right-touch regulation that …

Mentoring Matters: Addressing Gender Inequity In Japanese Higher Education Through An Online Mentorship Program, Tanja M. Mccandie

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The lack of equity and inclusion of women in formal leadership roles in Japan has been heavily criticized for years, including in higher education. This Organizational Improvement Plan presents an actionable plan utilizing an online mentorship program to address the Problem of Practice; the lack of women in positions of formal leadership and the few leadership development opportunities women have within the Learning Center of X University. Analysis identifies the institutional and cultural barriers that women faculty are confronted with, and which prevent their upward career mobility within X University. This change plan views the institution’s learning center through a …

Transforming Departmental Culture: Empowering A Department Through Appreciative Inquiry, Symphony D. Oxendine, Kerry K. Robinson, Michele A. Parker

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article outlines an appreciative inquiry (AI) into a departmental professional development process and describes the resulting implementation of an appreciative peer evaluation meeting as one part of the new professional development process. Using AI, a departmental faculty development committee sought to re-envision the professional development process. Also, the authors discuss how using AI can result in positive impacts for culture change and how the model for peer evaluation can promote both individual and collective development of faculty.

Introducing A Revenue-Generating Program: A Post-Compulsory Cinderella Story, Claire Mooney

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In 2015 the Ontario provincial government implemented an amendment to Regulation 347/02: Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs. This amendment resulted in the move from a two-semester program to a four-semester program with a commensurate reduction in funding from 2.0 to 1.5 for BEd students, effectively moving them from 1.0 FTE funding to 0.75. The introduction of the amendment coincided with the move to a Responsibility Centred Management approach to funding across South Central University. Hence, the reduction in funding was coincident with greater devolved responsibility for fiscal management at a departmental and faculty level. The Teacher Education Stream (TES) program …

Beyond Persistence: Increasing The Representation Of Women Faculty And Leaders In Academic Surgery, Dinah M. Frank

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In demanding tripartite roles, faculty at Academic Health Sciences Centres provide surgeon training and patient care, while seeking discovery through research and innovation. The persistent imbalance of women in academic surgery has been empirically evident and an intense topic of discussion for decades, yet solutions remain elusive. There has been increasing analysis and scrutiny of the factors affecting women in this domain, while highlighting the disconnect between the current state and our affirmed belief in gender equity in both education and medicine. My Organizational Improvement Plan is focussed on the recognition and resolution of barriers and biases impeding the appointment …

Equity And Excellence: Creating A Socially Responsible Shared Vision Of Academic Quality, Amanda Skanes

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The concepts of academic quality and social responsibility in post-secondary organizations are spacious yet becoming more intertwined. With stated organizational values grounded in excellence and diversity, this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seeks to intersect a quality management framework with the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts at a multi-campus college in Atlantic Canada. Specifically, the problem of practice I aim to resolve is how a shared vision of academic quality may be created through an added lens of social responsibility among the academic leadership team. In order to achieve a shared vision of academic quality, there are two main goals …

Educational Silver Linings In The Cloud Of A Global Pandemic: Our Students Are Grittier Than We Think!, Linda E. Feldstein, Gary Andersen

The Advocate

This qualitative study combines two methodological frameworks in an attempt to elucidate the best of what occurred in the teaching and learning practices during the massive school closures necessitated during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U. S. Using a phenomenological viewpoint informed by the practices of appreciative inquiry, interviews were conducted with education professionals to hear stories of unanticipated benefits in education - times where things went well, new insights were gained, new teaching techniques/frameworks explored, or significant student benefits noted. Participant voices, experiences, ‘aha’ moments, insights, and thoughts form an emergent picture of what has gone well during this …

Cultural Awareness And Change Management: Embracing The Benefits Of Merging A Community College With A University In Atlantic Canada, Paul M. Brett

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The organizational merger of two post-secondary organizations is fraught with synergies and complications that lend themselves to positive and negative outcomes of the joining. The need for a consolidated credential pathway model that defined the academic and administrative authorities of the merged organization was required. The organizational improvement plan (OIP) reviews the historical context of Ocean Institute of Eastern University (OIEU) to uncover the cultural underpinnings of resistance that exhibited themselves. While blind resistance exists within almost every organization, including true ideological resistance, within the context of OIEU, most of the resistance is rooted in political resistance, where some feel …

Embracing Complexity To Foster Program Adaptation At A College In Ontario, Paula Benbow

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The knowledge, skills, values, and confidence needed to practice dental hygiene safely, effectively, and ethically are evolving. Healthcare and the higher education landscapes are becoming increasingly complex. Despite the increased curricular competencies, emerging research about positive aspects of baccalaureate dental hygiene education, and out-of-province trends towards degree education, Bayview College continues to only offer a diploma credential that is specific to dental hygiene. Diverse views have polarized faculty on how to adapt the dental hygiene program so that it better meets professional, community, and societal needs. This Organizational Improvement Plan explores the organizational context at Bayview College and proposes a …

Virtually Constructed Leadership: A Study Of Accountability In An International Non-Profit Organization, Kristopher Ph Tharris

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Through the eyes of a leader within a virtual non-profit organization (referred to as the Centre), this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores the lack of formal accountability amongst an international team of volunteers. The lack of formal accountability has the potential to hinder all interactions of the team, decreasing efficiency of the organization and ultimately decreasing its impact on beneficiaries. The relationship between the volunteer leaders and the Centre is described as organizational volunteerism, where organizations are voluntarily contributing their human resources to benefit the international community. This improvement plan examines a combination of complementary leadership approaches that form a …

Appreciating Empathy: How Writing Center Collaborations Inform Leadership Development For Student Wellness And Success, Hugo Werstler

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my action research project was to understand the practice of collaboration within the University of San Diego’s Writing Center as an emerging leader in Higher Education. The goal of this study was to explore the benefits of empathy and relationship development as practiced by the Writing Center to develop leadership strategies for other campus organizations that regularly interact with the institution’s student population. Using several research cycles of Appreciative Inquiry, I observed that the Writing Center functions as a stellar example of collaboration, focusing on peer-to-peer writing consultations with an emphasis on student empathy and relationship development. …

Appreciative Inquiry: Transition Strategies For Students With Disabilities, Jerry Petrey

Online Theses and Dissertations

Transition policy and procedures are integral for districts promoting students with disabilities to successful post school outcomes in career or in higher education. School districts are given a set of standards that must be addressed in their curriculum but are not clearly delineated by state and national organizations. Additionally, transition programs in the secondary curriculum have not been examined extensively, and most research investigated particular individual disabilities in higher education settings or studies involving independent living or employment after school has been completed. This qualitative appreciative inquiry study sought to understand commonalities in the policies and procedures of the implementation …

The Internationalization Of The Student Body At Oceans College, Canada – An Appreciative Inquiry And Shared Leadership Approach To Change, Ian H. Macleod

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) addresses a problem of practice (PoP) at Oceans College (a pseudonym), a multilocation, panprovincial community college. Oceans College currently focuses on recruiting, admitting, and graduating domestic, in-province students. The number of international students, however, is growing. Currently there are no formal processes at the College for international students, unlike at the other postsecondary institutions in the province which actively recruit and enroll international students. The PoP is the lack of readiness at Oceans College to cope with the significant enrollment of international students. Different leadership theories were examined to develop this OIP, and appreciative inquiry …

Practical Measurement For Strategic Growth In An International School District, Daryl Stevens

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The accountability era of the past three decades failed to produce significant educational change, yet the standardized measures of student performance in primarily cognitive domains that epitomized that era continue to consume a disparate amount of energy and influence a disproportionate degree of decision-making in education organizations. That strategic-growth-crippling perseveration on standardized assessments is compounded by a general lack of change-process training, understanding and purposeful use in education contexts, and particularly exacerbated by the inability of education organizations to institutionalize effective innovations. The purpose of this study was to understand how a school district’s leadership team might move beyond a …

Empowering Filipino American Young Adults Through Culturally Relevant Leadership Experiences, Donnaly Y. Atajar

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the leadership development of Filipino American young adults. As an advisor for Lakas Mentorship Program in the Inland Empire, I explored the following question among program staff and mentors: How could I use culturally relevant curriculum to foster personal and professional development for young Filipino American leaders? I evaluated the impact of four cycles centered on leadership training and improving program practices to understand how to deepen engagement and facilitate positive transformation. I found that the following contributed to meaningful engagement: intentional leadership opportunities, institutionalized program structure, and peer mentorship and community …

Determining Impact Of Appreciative Inquiry: A Case Study, Kimberly Davis

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative study was an exploratory, single-case study from the perspectives of Appreciative Inquiry [AI] practitioners that explored how they determined the impact of an Inquiry. Through AI worldwide, the common call to action has been for empirical, critical analysis of the theory and practices of AI (Bushe, 1998; Bushe & Marshak, 2011, 2014, 2015; Clarke, n.d.; Conklin, 2009; Grant & Humphries, 2006; Hart, Conklin, & Allen, 2008; Kessler, 2013; Tartell & Vogel, 2017; Willoughby & Tosey, 2007). Bushe and Marshak (2013) stated a lack of unifying theory of change being offered and “a rather large gulf between academics who …

School Leadership And Appreciative Inquiry In Culture Of Care, Anthony Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project was part of a group project completed by five school and district administrators in Hillsborough County, Florida. The project began because of our passion for teachers who are able to establish a culture of care in their classrooms that support students academically but transform their learning through experiences that enable them to be more highly engaged and productive students, regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, perceived academic abilities, and backgrounds.

My focus in this group project was an exploration of how Walker Middle Magnet School became more diverse while increasing student achievement during the conversion to a ‘reverse …

Aligning First-Year Academic Learning Experiences At A Small Liberal Arts University, Robyne Hanley-Dafoe

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

First-year academic experiences in post-secondary education have been widely studied (Pampaka, Williams, & Hutcheson, 2012; Kahu & Nelson, 2018). Rapid expansion of student enrolment has impacted the scope of teaching and learning practices at universities (Zepke, 2018; O’Brien & Iannone, 2017). Much of the focus has been on student success, satisfaction, and retention; however, Brownlee, Walker, Lennox, Exley, and Pearce (2009) suggest that more research on the student learning experience is needed. This organizational improvement plan (OIP) expands on this idea to include pedagogy and course design, as they impact student learning, while exploring institutional identity. Using Bolman and Deal’s …

Flourishing Firefighters: A Plan For Optimal Organizational Deviance Using Healthy Human Systems, Sajel Bellon

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The purpose of this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) is to offer the potential groundwork to enhance the current support services of a union representing firefighters in Canada. The hope is to address the growing number of firefighters that are afflicted with Occupational Stress Injuries (OSI) and to provide a more comprehensive positive approach to mitigate the psychological effects and professional ramifications of the consistent exposure to traumatic events and other associated occupational stressors. The aim is to leverage the existing structure and resources to address the Problem of Practice (PoP): How can union leaders effectively address the increasing prevalence of …

Developing Student Leaders In Campus Outdoor Recreation Programs: An Appreciative Inquiry, Dan Sandberg, Bruce Martin, Andrew Szolosi, Sherry Early Phd

Leadership Studies Faculty Research

Campus outdoor recreation programs can play an integral role in developing student leaders. In this study, we sought a better understanding of the shared positive elements exemplary outdoor programs are using to develop their student leaders. The study was designed using a collec­tive case study methodology and the theoretical lens of the Leadership Identity Development (LID) model. Representatives from five exemplary outdoor programs were interviewed with an appreciative inquiry approach. Five common themes emerged from the data: (a) Institutional Support, (b) Transformative Experiences, (c) Meaningful Culture, (d) Facilitative Structures, and (e) the Keys to the Castle: Authentic Leadership Opportunities. Themes …

Global Leadership Competencies In Selected Adult Education Graduate Programs From The United States And Western Europe, Arthur Ray Mccrory

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers in the field of global leadership have reported a growing need for leaders able to perform from a global perspective, and the lack of qualified leadership candidates to fulfill these responsibilities. Adult education graduate programs represent a unique pool of aspirants to help fill this gap. In 2008, the Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE) published Standards for Graduate Programs in Adult Education. Two of these standards addressed the incorporation of globalization and leadership studies into the planning, administration, and evaluation of adult education graduate programs. This study sought to explore the connection between the phenomenon of …

Examination Of An Independent School’S Site-Based Summer Program, Susan W. Keogh

All Theses And Dissertations

This study examined the summer program offered by a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve independent school. Three levels of theory, individual, group, and organizational, were utilized to analyze the experiences of students and instructors. The variety of opportunities and instructional design elements, the intentional alignment to the traditional school year, collegial discussions connecting summer learning and the school year, and evidence of the school’s mission were examined.

Findings revealed a wide-range of educational experiences and the benefits of continuous learning that are evident the following school year. Class designs incorporated instructional elements supported by individual learning theories. Academic standards and expectations …

Investigation Of Teacher Education Delivery Of Bicultural Education, Chris J. Jenkin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The national bicultural early childhood curriculum in New Zealand, Te Whāriki, and the Graduating Teacher Standards require that graduating teachers are competent in Māori language as well as English, and have an understanding of aspects of Māori knowledge. However, research shows that teachers are not yet proficient in the skills needed to deliver the bicultural curriculum effectively. This paper explores the role of teacher-education providers in equipping their graduates to deliver that curriculum. Framed by an appreciative inquiry approach, data were collected from courses displayed on the websites of ten early-childhood tertiary teacher-education providers, followed by interviews with four participants …

Appreciative Inquiry: A Path To Change In Education, Pamela L. Buchanan

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) introduces a new approach to educational change. Most state and federal initiatives for educational change grow out of a deficit model determined to fix problems. The emphasis of AI is upon what is right with the organization and forms the basis for new initiatives and further change. This model proposes a cycle of inquiry used by leaders who distribute leadership across their constituents. Organizational learning is a process of individual and collective inquiry that modifies or constructs organizational theories-in-use and changes practice.

The study explored the relationship of AI, distributed leadership, and organizational learning qualities that exist …

Creating Shared Vision And Facilitating Transformation In Community Colleges, Dedria Adel Blakely

Dissertations

Why are some community colleges, regardless of location or size, able to successfully engage their communities (both internal and external) to create highly functional strategic plans that guide their institutions to a shared vision and transformational change? This research sought to identify the positive qualitative elements exercised during the strategic planning process. Contextual elements, such as how leaders craft the strategic planning process, how and to what degree they seek feedback from the college’s stakeholders, as well as the social and psychological processes and talents of the people involved in the planning have not been examined in depth in the …

The Landwarnet School, The Army Learning Model, And Appreciative Inquiry: How Is A Centralized Training Organization Improved By Introducing Decentralization?, Lisa Jayne Stamper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory, qualitative case study describes how a centralized training organization (LandWarNet School) was improved by introducing decentralization (Army Learning Model) toward “the best competitive position” or "sweet spot," defined by Brafman and Beckstrom (2006) as “enough decentralization for creativity, but sufficient structure and controls to ensure consistency” (pp. 189, 191). Any presence of the six chaordic elements of a decentralized organization, as described by Hock (1999), was also considered.

LandWarNet School (LWNS) trains approximately 6000 US Army Soldiers annually and is centrally organized. The new Army Learning Model (ALM) is a vision for a more decentralized training approach where …

Appreciative Inquiry: A Path To Change In Education, Pamela L. Buchanan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) introduces a new approach to educational change. Most state and federal initiatives for educational change grow out of a deficit model of what is wrong with schools and what is needed to fix them. Implementation of new reforms has historically been mandated by administrators with little impact. The emphasis of AI is upon what is right with the organization and forms the basis for new initiatives and further change. This model proposes a cycle of inquiry used by leaders who distribute leadership across their constituents. Organizational learning is a process of individual and collective inquiry that modifies …