Education Commons^™

Effects Of A Mentorship Program On High Need College Students: Reflections From Mentors And Mentees, Stephen Miske, Olusegun Sogunro

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

On average, the college graduation rates for minority and/or high-need students are generally low. To address this situation, a Mid-Atlantic Consortium recently secured a grant to improve 4-year graduation rates of high-need students (i.e., new first-time students and transfer students who qualify as low-income students, first-generation college students, adult students, and/or students of color) by 20% over each selected college’s baseline. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of students and faculty mentors toward accomplishing this goal. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Some of the effects identified in this study included enhanced academic …

Integration Of Academic And Career And Technical Education Curriculum At Magnet High Schools In The Southwestern United States, Kelly Jacob Shewmake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Secondary Principals’ Perspectives Of Adaptive Leadership Behaviors And Social Emotional Learning Program Implementation, Vanessa W. Snyder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

University Counselor Experiences With The Surge In Mental Healthcare Demand In The United States, Julie Christe Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Middle And High School Administrators’ Perceptions On The Use Of Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices Related To Student Discipline, Amanda Mccullough

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators in the United States have become increasingly concerned about students who are suspended out of school because they miss classroom instruction and are then less likely to graduate. The problem addressed in this study was that school administrators continued to use exclusionary practices for discipline negating more culturally responsive practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore middle and high school administrators’ perceptions on their approaches to discipline and culturally responsive practices when considering disciplinary consequences as an alternative to out of school suspension. Culturally responsive school leadership served as the conceptual frameworks for this study. …

Elementary Teacher Perspectives Regarding Leadership Practices That Supported Creation Of A Dual Language Public School, Angelica Ozuna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increase in the enrollment of elementary school students who do not speak English as their first language has led to initiatives to provide effective instruction for these students which require effective leadership. The problem is that leadership practices have been unsuccessful in supporting dual language elementary school teachers, and minimal research has explored teachers’ perspectives of leadership in this area. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of rural public school teachers regarding leadership practices they found effective and ineffective in creation of a new dual language elementary school. Eleven participants answered 10 semistructured interview …

Teachers’ Self-Efficacy When Instructing Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In Inclusive Classrooms, Maysoon Atra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in American public schools have been challenged with implementing effective instructional practices for students with disabilities (SWDs) in inclusive classrooms. Among the broad category of SWDs, students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) are among those whose social and academic progress continues to be of concern. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand perceptions of general education teachers’ self-efficacy when instructing middle school students with EBDs in inclusive classrooms within a northeastern school district in New Jersey. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The research question involved how general education teachers …

K–12 School Principals’ Perceptions Regarding Leadership Practices Supporting Teachers Who Experience Burnout, Veronica Parish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive workplace stress and burnout have been persistent issues for teachers in the public school setting. The problem addressed in this project study was that K–12 school principals are inconsistently implementing leadership practices (LPs) to support teachers who experience burnout in two public school districts under study. Guided by the instructional leadership theory of Hallinger and Murphy, the purpose of this project study was to examine the perceptions of K–12 school principals regarding their implementation of LPs to support teachers who experience burnout. In this basic qualitative research design 10 K–12 principals from a local school district were purposefully selected …

Perceptions Of Principal Leadership Skills And Knowledge Necessary To Impact Student Achievement, Ezra Jonah Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem is that secondary school students within an education system in a small island Caribbean state are not performing at the required academic standard. The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of the Ministry of Education and Public Service Commission regarding the recruitment and selection of prospective principals with the leadership skills and knowledge necessary to positively impact student achievement within a local education system. The conceptual framework was guided by principles embedded in Dickinson’s recruitment and selection model. The research question asked how the Ministry of Education and the Public Service Commission perceived the selection …

Best Practices And Perceptions Of Elementary Administrators To Address The Underrecognition Of Culturally, Linguistically, And Economically Diverse Students In Gifted And Talented Education Programs, Marson S. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Principal Perceptions On The Digital Divide, Equity, And Learning Barriers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristina Ana Chittick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Teacher Perceptions Of Challenges And Supports That Influence Their Decisions To Stay In Or Leave The Profession, Gayle Warmbrodt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Cohort Default Rates, 90/10 Rule Metrics, And Gross Revenue By Institution Size, Jamillah D. Booker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Redefining “Lgbtq+ Interculture” In Academia, Samantha Winterberg, Michelle Mccraney

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Members of the LGBTQ+ community often face discrimination, harassment, and exclusion in academic settings, which can negatively impact their academic and personal success. Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ students are more likely to experience negative mental health conditions, drop out of school, and struggle to find employment after graduation. Cultural humility fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is critical to ensuring an equitable educational experience for all students, particularly those from marginalized communities. Intercultural understanding is essential to develop cultural humility so that attitudes reflect empathy and tolerance of differences, including sexual or gender orientation variances or ambiguity. Understanding how …

Drawing On The Locus Of Control Framework To Explore The Role Of School Leaders In Teacher Well-Being., Inga Venema-Steen, Anne Southall, Anna Bortoli

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This scoping review explores the role of school leadership in the improvement of teacher well-being by utilizing the Locus of Control (LOC) Framework identified by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954. The internal and external environments impacting teacher well-being were explored, and the specific responsibilities of school leadership were identified. The literature reports that while teachers are responsible for many aspects of their well-being, school leaders can improve a teacher’s mental health and create a positive school culture by taking responsibility for factors external to the teacher’s LOC. This paper outlines school leadership responsibilities in actively implementing strategies to improve staff …

University Administrators’ Visions For The Recovery Of International Student Exchange In A Post–Covid-19 World, Yusuke Sakurai, Yukiko Ishikura, Ryoko Nakano, Yuki Nabeshima, Yu Sengoku, Akito Okada, Sachihiko Kondo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Little is known about how international functions of higher education, such as exchange programmes, can be resumed during recovery from a disruptive global crisis, such as COVID-19. We collected the opinions of administrators of international exchange programmes regarding their plans to resume their exchange programmes in the recovery phase and identified variations in the responses concerning institution type (public vs. private) and the presence or absence of a medical school.

Method: We used multiple-choice survey questions in our study, resulting in 180 valid responses. We examined overall patterns using descriptive statistics and institutional uniqueness using Fisher’s exact test.

Results: …

Book Review: Engaging International Alumni As Strategic Partners., Osasohan Agbonlahor

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

About 1.1 million international students were enrolled in U.S. institutions in the 2019–2020 academic year (Institute of International Education, 2021). Given limited work visas and the ever-changing political climates that impact migration, most international students will return to their home countries and will be unable to remain connected with alumni activities in their former host countries. A few institutions have attempted to maintain relationships with these former international students through their alumni relations office. The book Engaging International Alumni as Strategic Partners offers innovative ideas and approaches on how institutions can effectively develop, grow, and sustain such programs of …

Leadership Skill Development In Master’S-Level Counselor Education, Charity A. Godfrey, Richard J. Cicchetti, Craig R. Blum, Gary Michael Szirony, Tamara Harris

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Student leadership identity is fast becoming one of the most critical challenges educational institutions face today. However, mental health counselors may be limited in the amount of education and training received as they become leaders in the field. There is currently no known mandate at the master’s level for leadership embedded within the counseling curriculum in the educational environment, although research suggests otherwise. The purpose of this correlational predictive empirical study was to investigate leadership identity characteristics as measured by the Socially Responsible Leadership Scale, Revision 2 (SLRS-R2), moderated by demographic factors. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine outcome …

Implementing Pbis With Fidelity: Secondary School Staff Members’ Descriptions Of School Climate, Tory Lawrence, Billie Jean Holubz, Michael Hixon, Kelly Paynter

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a schoolwide initiative implemented in many schools to address discipline concerns and promote a positive school climate. This phenomenological study examined the school climate perceptions of 12 staff members from three secondary schools in two North Carolina school districts that implemented PBIS with fidelity. All 12 participants favorably described their school climate after PBIS had been implemented with fidelity. Additionally, study participants reported improved discipline practices, as well as improved practices for acknowledging positive student behavior. This study’s findings fill a gap in the existing body of literature, regarding the implementation of PBIS …

Reflections On Inclusive Teaching, Michelle Pacansky-Brock

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The COVID-era has left a lasting impression on each of us. How are college educators applying the full complexity of these experiences to their work to make teaching and learning in all modalities more welcoming, meaningful, and fulfilling for everyone? This reflection opens a conversation about inclusive teaching and invites you to be part of it.

Elementary Teachers’ Use Of 1:1 Tablets In Lesson Planning And Presentation On A Western Pacific Island, Sinton Soalablai, Andrea M. Wilson, Beate Baltes

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The Ministry of Education on a Western Pacific island invested in an expensive 1:1 tablet program providing elementary teachers and students with a tablet but had not determined if the program produced desired positive changes in the teachers’ instructional practices of lesson planning and lesson presentation. Guided by experiential learning theory, this causal–comparative study’s purpose was to determine if the 1:1 tablet program resulted in changes in elementary teachers’ use of technology in their lesson planning and lesson presentation practices. We analyzed pre and postimplementation lesson planning and lesson presentation data, collected from 63 elementary teachers, using repeated measures t …

Quality Assurance, Meet Quality Appreciation: Using Appreciative Inquiry To Define Faculty Quality Standards, Ann M. Morgan, Rebecca L. Jobe, Juli K. Konopa, Lyda D. Downs

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study outlines the journey of an online university to evaluate faculty performance standards, key performance indicators, and systems for quality assurance using an appreciative inquiry summit model. The study reveals the power of quality appreciation as an approach that elicits a shared vision for quality definitions and standards and serves as a historical marker in the higher education shift from data-driven faculty performance approaches to strengths-based, inclusive methods.

Method: The retrospective business case outlines one university’s 2018 Appreciative Inquiry Summit, 5D (define, discover, dream, design, destiny/deliver) approach, resulting deliverables, lessons learned, and conclusions.

Results: The summit and subsequent …

Education Licensure Candidates During The Time Of Covid-19: University Supervisors’ Reflections About The Forgotten Few, Andrea M. Wilson, Cheryl Burleigh

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Education at K–12 through university levels has faced extraordinary upheaval in the time of COVID-19. As universities and K–12 school systems struggled independently to adapt to rapidly changing demands, teacher and administrator licensure candidates were confronted with unprecedented challenges in both worlds simultaneously. The licensure candidates were the forgotten few, stuck between higher education and K–12 education, while struggling to keep up with the demands of their personal lives and professional futures. With limited guidance from their universities and school systems, licensure candidates turned to their university field placement supervisors for direction. In response, supervisors became adaptive leaders and flexible …

A Conceptual Continuous Improvement Framework To Examine The "Problems Of Understanding" Applied Research, Silvie Maclean

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Improving performance to meet strategic priorities, such as teaching balanced with increased applied research activities, has developed into a central, though contentious, discourse for faculty in Ontario colleges. The aim of this article is to analyze and better understand why faculty are not engaged in applied research practices.

Method: This article draws from social cognition theory and a social constructivist perspective. The literature review examines the evolution of colleges in Ontario, including the political factors and symbolic artifacts that shape values and organizational practices. This study sought to explore how a conceptual continuous improvement (CI) framework might advance …

Instructional Supervision And The Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Principals, Jesse D. Brock, Don M. Beach, Mandy Musselwhite, Ikie Holder

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Six questions that instructional supervisors have been faced with and had to respond to during the COVID-19 crisis include: (a) How do we support teachers in the transition from face-to-face to virtual classes and meetings; (b) How do we focus on addressing the needs of teachers while engaged in remote or online learning; (c) How do we maintain communication, contact, and relationships with teachers; (d) How do we celebrate successes as teachers work with students in the virtual world; (e) How do we assess the quality of the teaching–learning process; and (f) How do we plan for the next steps? …

Implementing Inclusive Education In Early Childhood Settings: The Interplay And Impact Of Exclusion, Teacher Qualities And Professional Development In Ghana, Francis R. Ackah-Jnr, Hyacinth Udah

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Inclusive education (IE) in the early years enhances young children’s learning, socialization, and development; yet, children with disability are one group that is often isolated, excluded, or marginalized in early childhood education. This paper examines jointly the perceived exclusion practices, teacher qualities, and professional development and the interplay and impact of these factors on effective inclusive early childhood education. Drawing on data collected from individual interviews with teachers and headteachers in a large early childhood and school setting in Ghana, findings of this qualitative study indicate the exclusion practices of teachers. The findings suggest that resistance to IE limits learning, …

Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Content-Specific Instructional Feedback, Shernore S. Prince

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem for this basic qualitative study was that principals were not consistently providing content-specific feedback to support teachers’ instructional practices. This problem was important because principals, as instructional leaders, are responsible for giving feedback to teachers to support teachers’ instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of content-specific feedback. Danielson’s framework for teaching was the conceptual framework that linked the concepts and variables in this study. The research questions addressed how principals perceived that they provided content-specific feedback to support teachers’ instructional practice, and how teachers perceived principals as providing content-specific …

Trinidad And Tobago Secondary School Principals' Perspectives Of Implementing A Laptop Initiative, Vida Iante Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The eConnect and Learn (eCAL) program was a government-led, one laptop per child initiative launched in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. However, after investing large sums of money in the program, the initiative was abandoned as unsuccessful. Addressing this problem, the study aimed to explore which factors affected the implementation of the eCAL initiative. The conceptual framework for this basic qualitative study was Hall and Hord’s six functions of change facilitators for effective implementation of change. The research question addressed the factors affecting the eCAL initiative from principals’ perspective. Interview data were collected from three secondary school principals via …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Teacher Retention, And Attrition, Tonya Kabia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has been an issue in the local urban area resulting in students being taught by teachers and substitutes who may not be knowledgeable about the content. The attrition of experienced teachers is a concern for administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and students. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of administrator support, teacher retention, and teacher attrition. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory served as the conceptual framework that guided this study. A basic qualitative research design was used to capture the insights of 10 middle school teachers in an urban district in the eastern United States through …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Working With Parents To Address High Schoolers’ Chronic Absenteeism, Mercy Modupe Olumoya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 16% of the U.S. public-school population was missing 10% or more of school days. Distance learning during the pandemic may have worsened absenteeism. The research problem represents a gap in understanding teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism at the high school level before and during the pandemic. The purpose and research question of this basic qualitative inquiry explored teachers’ perceptions of their experiences working with parents to address delinquent students’ chronic absenteeism in low-income, urban high schools before and during the COVID-19 pandemic when participating in distance …