Education Commons^™

Cameroonian Teachers’ Perspectives Of School-Based Reproductive Health And Safety Education: A Qualitative Study, Sandra Nambangi Bume

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

This research examines teachers’ perspectives of school-based sexuality/reproductive health education more fully than has ever been done in the field of education in Southern Cameroons and attempts at breaking the silence on a topic still greatly considered taboo in Cameroon. School-based sexuality education is a subject that aims to educate, enlighten, and “equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will empower them to: realize their health, well-being, and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how the choices affect their well-being and that of others, and understand and ensure the protection of their rights …

Because “Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast:” An Examination Of Selected Minnesota Principals’ Use Of Social Media To Influence School Culture, Alicia Fischer

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of high school principals about the impact their use of social media has on school culture. The problem of this study emerges from the lack of empirical research in the field examining the ways in which high school administrators use social media platforms to influence school culture. The urgency in the need for the research is derived from the increased use of social media in education as well as other industry areas. School principals have been using social media for real-time communication and updates, however this study’s focus is on …

An Examination Of Self-Concept And Literacy In High School Black Males: Midwest School District, Antwan Harris

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

A supplemental reading program that was offered in a Minnesota school district with a diverse student population was analyzed. The needs of the adolescent learner, building relationships, improving self-concept, individualized instruction for identified reading skills gaps, and aid with homework were the focal points of the discussion. Changes in reading scores in the Supplemental reading program, as well as program teacher surveys, program teacher interviews, and student satisfaction surveys, were used to evaluate the progress made in improving academic performance. Previous research found a correlation between self-beliefs, motivation, and

achievement. These elements were incorporated in this program evaluation. The results …

Examining Select Minnesota Secondary High School Principal's Perspectives, Leadership Characteristics, And Practices As They Led And Navigated Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, School Closure And Transition Into Distance Learning, Jason Harris

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify select Minnesota secondary principals' (1) report on principal’s essential leadership characteristics and practices used when leading their stakeholders through a global pandemic, school closures, and transition to distance learning; (2) to analyze how select Minnesota secondary school principals’ personal beliefs and attributes align with the Top 4 Characteristics of Admired Leaders (CAL) from Kouzes & Posner Leadership Challenge and The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model and (3) provide current and future school administrators with best practices on emergency preparedness in navigating through a crisis incident.

Three select Minnesota lead secondary …

Chinese Immersion Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Teacher Education Programs, Mengyao Chen

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

With the rapid development of language immersion programs in the U.S., the number of Chinese immersion programs has grown to 343 in 2021. Chinese immersion programs demand more Chinese immersion teachers who are capable of using the Chinese language to conduct both language and content teaching. However, a review of literature suggested that limited teacher education programs were founded that focused specifically on immersion, or Chinese immersion education. Moreover, literature review found that there are limited understandings on the Chinese immersion teachers’ perceptions and needs on their teacher education programs.

To address this knowledge gap, this quailitative study selectively interviewed …

Mentors And Teachers’ Perspectives On The Effectiveness Of Mentoring Rural Girls Kenema District, Eastern Region Sierra Leone, Aminata Phoray-Musa

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Chosen Network in mentoring Sierra Leone. The study aims to examine the perspective of mentors and teachers on the effectiveness of the intervention. The study is conducted to contribute to the literature on using effective mentoring interventions to address some school-related school attrition and other challenges facing rural girls’ education. Two questions were researched: i) How has the Chosen Network Mentorship program supported girls’ identity development, a sense of purpose, and general well-being? ii). To what extent have the program intervention strategies impacted academic performance?

A literature review of the study …

Mentorship And Teacher Retention: Analysis Of Beginning Special Education Teachers’ Experiences In Minnesota, Michele Barron-Albers

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Beginning special education teachers each year enter their classrooms with high expectations and best-practice strategies they are eager to employ. Related literature affirmed, however, that they are quickly faced with what Charlotte Danielson (1999) described as a “sink or swim in the deep end of the pool” culture (p. 251-7) as they grapple with the needed sudden transition from theory to practice. Done well, effective mentoring can become the bridge between preservice learning and classroom experience and guide beginning special education teachers toward a deeper and more impactful teaching practice.

This study’s purpose was to explore facets of new special …

Examining The Impact Of K-5 Literacy Coaches On Teachers' Implementation Of Literacy Practices And The Role Of Leadership In Maintaining High Literacy Expectations Supported By Instructional Coaches, Jenny Bushman

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Teaching matters and research shows school-based coaching responds to the national priority of improving instruction (Bright &Hensley, 2010). Research confirms the importance of developing strong, collaborative work environments such as a long-standing potential for change that positively impacts teachers' facilitation of student learning (Dixon & Palmer, 2002; Fullen, 2008; Guskey, 2003). The goal of instructional coaching is to foster and support professional development. What's more, the coach can help guide teacher learning experiences into purposeful instructional targets and goals (Brown, 2016). Literacy coaching can support the goal of developing a collaborative work environment where teachers have sustained support in meeting …

Level Of Preparedness For Conducting Teacher Evaluations As Reported By Minnesota School Principals, Zachary Dingmann

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The significance of a principal as an instructional leader became a concept over 40 years ago (Jenkins, 2009). Edmonds (1982) noted one of the top five effective school characteristics was a “principal’s leadership and attention to the quality of instruction” (p. 4). Part of being an instructional leader for a principal is performing teacher evaluations by observing teachers’ instruction.

The process in which principals conduct teacher evaluations and observe most teachers is useless, unproductive, and a waste of a principal’s time (Marshall, 2005). According to Marshall (2005), principals need to improve in how they observe, support, and evaluate teachers to …

Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences In Cultural Awareness Professional Development, Carissa Tebben

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The United States has experienced an increase in the number of immigrants arriving from various countries around the world over the last several decades. In fall 2014, 30 percent of all public schools in the United States reported student populations of at least 75 percent minority compared with 24 percent in fall, 2004. The percentage of students enrolled in public schools increased from 2004 to 2014 across all racial/ethnic groups (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2014-2015). The process of changing teaching and learning practices occurs through professional development. The Every Student Succeeds Act relies on the …

Digital Game-Based Learning: Teacher Training, Perceptions, Benefits, And Barriers, Aspen Easterling

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine current teacher training practices, both preservice teacher preparation programs and school district professional development, aligned to digital game-based learning (DGBL). The study surveyed Northern Minnesota teachers in grades P-12 to determine their perceptions related to the benefits of DGBL and the barriers they face to the implementation of DGBL. Respondents (N = 345) rated trainings, resources, and supports which they felt would encourage their use of digital games to deliver educational content and facilitate learning.

The results of the study revealed the majority of respondents perceived numerous benefits to DGBL including: …

An Evaluation Of Minnesota Principal Characteristics Needed For Effective Implementation Of School-Based Problem-Solving And Intervention Processes, Lisa Whitney

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

Serving students in their quest to learn and succeed in life are basic goals of public education (Honig, 2016). The simplified purpose for public education, then, is to provide equal opportunity for all children to learn the basic skills needed to be self-sufficient adults and productive citizens in an ever-evolving society (Darling-Hammond et al., 2019). Early acquisition of basic academic skills, such as reading, writing, and mathematical computation, are considered essential to completing this goal.

Booth and Rowsell (2007) maintain that effective leadership is key to achieving process change and for improving learning outcomes for all students. Research shows …

The Influences Of Social Capital On College Enrollment For First-Generation College Students, Sarah Behrens

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of the study was to examine the influences of social capital on college enrollment for first-generation college students. The qualitative study allowed the researcher to examine the perspectives of 12 first-generation college students during the first semester of their freshman year at a four-year institution in Minnesota. Through a focus group, the participants identified who was influential and the resources they provided that assisted in the college-going process.

Research indicates that higher education is believed to be one of the main paths to opportunity and economic progress in the United States (Blackwell & Pinder, 2014). While more and …

Teachers And School Administrators Who Carry Concealed Handguns At School, Patrick Scudder

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Fifteen states in America have laws that allow schools to arm their workforce and legislation to allow teachers to carry a concealed weapon is pending in at least nine other states (Owen, 2018). Still, no studies were found in the literature that listed the challenges and experiences of educators who carry concealed handguns into school buildings. Therefore, it is desirable to conduct research that examines the perspectives of these teachers and school administrators in order to provide information that may be of interest to educational leaders and the wider community.

This qualitative study conducted interviews with six classroom teachers and …

An Evaluation Of Beginning Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding The Implementation Effectiveness And Outcomes Of Teacher Induction Programming In Minnesota Public School Districts, Shorena Dolaberidze

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Background

“No matter the quality of their preparation, new teachers encounter many distinct challenges as they navigate their first months and years in the classroom” (New Teacher Center, 2015, p.1). To empower new teachers and strengthen their performance during instructional times, as well as enhance the effectiveness of their contribution school wide, many school districts implement induction programming. “Research demonstrates that comprehensive, multi-year induction programs accelerate the professional growth of new teachers, reduce the rate of new teacher attrition, provide a stronger return on states’ and school districts’ investment, and improve student learning” (New Teacher Center, 2015, p. 2)

Wong …

Evaluation Of The Implementation Of Understanding By Design Processes In Select Minnesota Public Schools, Sangeeta Pradhan Joshi

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

An effective educational process demands a strong curriculum framework, quality instruction and appropriate assessment for successful teaching and learning and holistic development of students (Tomlinson et al., 2003). A quality curriculum is designed around the core concepts of a subject focusing on in-depth understanding of the key concepts and providing students abundant opportunities to transfer their understanding in various contexts (National Research Council, 2002). Understanding by Design (UbD) is a backward design curriculum framework that supports teachers and curriculum leaders in designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment with the aim of enhancing students’ understanding and performance (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). …

Minnesota Secondary Principals Reported Discipline Decision Making From A Culturally Responsive School Leadership Approach, Lydia Kabaka

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

The use of discipline within the school setting dates back as long as schools have been in existence (Brown & Payne, 1988). There is a wide array of discipline that is enforced from the use of corporal punishment to more modern practices of suspension and expulsion (Middleton, 2008; Noltemeyer et al., 2012). The use of such disciplinary practices has resulted in unintended consequences directly correlated to race, disability status and income; with an overrepresentation of students of color, students receiving special education services and low-income students receiving higher levels of discipline than their peers (Skiba et al, 2011).

Patterns …

An Examination Of The General Education Teacher Responsibilities, Collaboration Practices, And Professional Development Needs To Educate Students With Disabilities In The General Education Classroom, Ashlee Johnson

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has mandates that students with disabilities have access to the general education classroom to the maximum extent possible. Students with disabilities are increasing placed within the general education classroom for more of their school day. General education teachers, in turn, have been tasked with an increase in responsibilities to meet the variant needs of their students. The research concludes the importance of collaborative practices between general education and special education teachers and the need for professional development for educators to build the necessary skills to educate students with disabilities in the general education …

The Perceptions Of School Counselors On Preparedness For Serving Gifted Students Using Bullying Prevention And Intervention Strategies, Rick Halley

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Despite 40 years of significant national research on various aspects of bullying (Espelage, & Swearer, 2004), and although past research has intentionally spent time examining bullying in specific populations, one population ignored in the research is the gifted student population (Peterson & Ray, 2006a, 2006b). The limited research available indicates gifted students may be vulnerable or are at risk of being targets of bullies, may become the bullies, or may even be bully-victims (Cross, 2001a, 2001b; Peters & Bain, 2011; Parliament of Victoria, 2012; Roddick, 2011; Schroeder-Davis, 2012). While educators and administrators play an integral role in the development and …

Co-Teaching: Benefits And Challenges Of Co-Teaching In Middle School, Michael Weerts

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The increase in numbers of students with disabilities in American school districts has created the need to study options that have proven successful in meeting a variety of students’ educational achievement needs in regular education classrooms. The use of co-teaching as a methodology to help meet this need is a worthy research topic.

A mixed methods study was conducted seeking information from special education and regular education middle school teachers in a select Minnesota school regarding co-teaching effectiveness, challenges, and benefits to students. The study participants were selected because they utilized co-teaching methodologies.  The study may provide guidelines for teachers …

Schools To Learn From: Lessons From Minnesota Schools With High English Learner Language Growth, Gwen Rosha Anderson

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Multilingual learners are K-12 students who speak an additional language to English and have been screened and identified as “lack[ing] the necessary English skills to participate fully in academic classes taught in English” (Minnesota Statute 124D.59, subd. 2). With all of the variability in multilingual learners, the multilingual learner population is the fastest-growing population of public school students in the US (McKeon, 2005). In the fall of 2016, 4.9 million students in the United States were identified as multilingual learners, which is 9.6 percent of the total US student population (US Department of Education, 2019). In Minnesota during the 2017-2018 …

A Qualitative Study Of Culturally Responsive Schooling Practices Among Minnesota Public School Educators Serving American Indian Students, Leah Girard

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The qualitative study intended to identify local districts actions to incorporate Culturally Responsive Schooling into the curriculum to foster identity development among American Indian students. The study interviewed 19 educators and focused specifically on the ways in which components of the Cultural Compatibility Theory are guiding education for American Indian students. The study also intended to understand the factors present that support or inhibit the inclusion of Culturally Responsive Schooling practices to support students.

Non-American Indian educators cited the presence of cultural content in their classrooms when it was identified as specific to the class content. American Indian educators cited …

A Study Of Select Minnesota Public School Teachers’ Mindfulness As It Relates To Their Stress-Management, Resilience, And Job Satisfaction For Motivation, Shelby Chollett

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Mindfulness is not a new concept or practice, and many organizations are beginning to train their staff in such practices for various purposes such as well-being and productivity. The focus of this research study is to identify mindfulness training programs specific to teachers, the mindfulness techniques teachers are trained on, attributes that can affect motivation and well-being, and the impact mindfulness and practicing mindfulness techniques can have on teachers’ reported levels of mindfulness, stress, resilience, job satisfaction, motivation, and their work environment. While there is an abundance of research on mindfulness, teacher well-being, and human motivation, there is little research …

A Quantitative Study Of Factors Contributing To Early Career Teachers Leaving Their Positions In Rural, Central Minnesota, Patrick Sutlief

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The nationwide trend of novice teachers leaving schools at a disproportionately high rate comes at a time when schools strive to develop a staff of experienced, effective educators to increase student achievement. The price of novice teacher attrition includes financial costs like recruitment and hiring as well as lost professional development young teachers take with them when they leave. Intangible costs include the negative impact on schools as organizations resulting from high turnover as well as inconsistent instruction from an ever-changing teaching staff. Ultimately, student achievement pays the price of high rates of novice teacher attrition. McCann, Johannessen, and Ricca …

Stress And Teacher Burnout: The Impact Of Mindfulness Strategies, Kelsey Milne

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Teaching is a high-risk profession considering the impact it has on a teacher’s mental health (McLean & Connor, 2015). Since work-related stress can lead to job burnout, it is important for teachers to develop effective coping strategies to alleviate the high degree of burnout in the teaching occupation (Steinhardt, Jaggars, Faulk, & Gloria, 2011). Numerous studies pointed out the effectiveness, the ease of implementation and the cost-effective factor of mindfulness techniques to address stress and potential burnout (Abenavoli, Harris, Katz, Jennings, & Greenberg, 2014; Roeser, Skinner, Beers, & Jennings, 2012; Stanley, 2011; Winzelberg & Luskin, 1999). Mindfulness techniques have been …

Effects Of Computer Screen Color And Brightness On Student Achievement During Computer-Based Reading Comprehension Assessment, Matthew E. Houselog

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

This study examined the effect of specific computer screen settings on reading comprehension achievement using a standardized test format in an eighth-grade classroom in Rogers, Minnesota in the spring of 2019. The screen settings tested were a blue-light-minimizing setting, screen brightness, and a combination of both. A blue-light-minimizing setting alters the monitor color settings to minimize the amount of blue used in the projection of the computer screen. The effect of room darkness in combination with these screen settings was also considered. The field experiment had four research questions: Is there a difference in achievement between students who use a …

Minnesota Teachers’ Understanding, Training, Perception Of Stem Education And Its Implementation, Abdulcadir Mohamud

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

According to the CRS Report for Congress (Library of Congress, 2008), “there is a growing concern that the United States is not preparing a sufficient number of students to enter in the professions of science and engineering.” This growing concern has motivated the creation of a discipline based on the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics known as STEM. The supporters of STEM education believe that this program has more benefits than the traditional system, an obsolete system that fails to capture students’ interest in STEM subjects (Sanders, 2009).

Unfortunately, there are barriers in successfully implementing STEM programs in …

Faculty Of Color At Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Dalton Crayton

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Although the United States has experienced major demographic changes, such as an increased population of minorities, there still exists a very low representation of minority faculty members in institutions of higher education compared to White faculty members (Antonino, 2002).

There are very few studies that detail the challenges and supports that qualified persons of color experience in obtaining positions in higher education. Therefore, there is a need for further research to identify these challenges and supports that faculty members of color experience to provide insights for other faculty members of color who are pursuing employment at an institution of higher …

Assessment Of Leadership Practices Of Principals Of Turnaround Elementary Schools In Minnesota, Kassahun C. Wana

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

The quantitative study examined the perception of principals in Minnesota elementary Reward Schools (also known as turnaround schools) regarding their leadership practices with reference to transformational leadership. Data for the study were collected from principals’ responses to the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI-Self) developed by Kouzes and Posner.

The study acknowledged that transformational leadership has great potential to effect meaningful change in turning around schools; the principals in the study reported the highest frequency of engagement in the leadership practices of Enable others to Act, Encourage the Heart, Model the Way, and Challenge the Process. The fifth and last practice, …

Cell Phones In Minnesota High Schools: Principals’ Perceptions Of Impact And Policy, David Holler

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

As cell phone use has become commonplace in society, school leaders have debated the positive and negative impacts of permitting cell phone use in schools (Kiema, 2015). In 2015, New York City public schools removed their cell phone ban for 1.1 million students (Allen, 2015). A reason for reversing the ban was that the policy had a disproportionate impact on low students who were more likely to have their cell phones confiscated because of metal detectors in the schools they attended (Allen, 2015). The New York City cell phone ban also proved extremely difficult to consistently and effectively enforce (Allen, …