Education Commons^™

Covid-19'S Impact On School Principals' Self-Efficacy As Managerial Leaders, Krystle Marie Ballatore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice (DiP) employs qualitative research and educational theories to examine the impact of COVID-19 on school principals' self-efficacy in one South Carolina school district. Its theoretical framework is based on Bandura's (1977, 1986, 1997) social cognitive theory. The dissertation begins by outlining the specific problem at hand, relevant general concerns, and a purpose statement. This problem serves as the foundation for the research questions: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted principals' self-efficacy as their schools' managerial leaders? How do these principals' experiences vary in degree of impact by school level (i.e., early childhood, primary, elementary, intermediate, middle, …

Women In Executive Level Education Leadership Positions: Perceptions, Challenges, And Supports., Adrienne Usher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the perceptions, challenges, and lived experiences of women, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, holding executive level leadership positions to inform tailored support strategies. As female educators aspire to higher levels of leadership in schools and districts, limited avenues of structured informal and formal support exist. A review of literature reveals an understanding of how female educators have been historically positioned in education which provides a foundation for present day challenges. Research is lacking on utilizing these lived experiences and challenges as a source to provide informed support. In order to take educated steps to a more …

Is Being Respectable Enough?: A Critical Investigation Of Code-Switching And The Lived Experiences Of Black Leaders Who Work At Nonprofits In Bridgertown, Ramona Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on Black nonprofit leaders is scarce, causing little to be known about the experiences that they have encountered when navigating their roles and responsibilities. Even less literature is available on these Black leaders and their usage of code-switching strategies when attempting to navigate those same nonprofits. Based on themes uncovered during the literature review this study employs an in-depth narrative inquiry qualitative methodology. While using theories such as critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 200; Ladson-Billings,1998), the politics of respectability (Higginbotham, 1993) and the theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1985; 1996) the researcher examines the leadership experiences of …

Uncovering An Alternative Social Structure To Social Dominance: A Blend Of Ethnography And Community Based Participatory Research, Andrew A. Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated social structures that are alternative to the prevailing assumption of Social Dominance Theory (SDT), which is that all human interaction is based on social hierarchies. The implications of social dominance impact health at an institutional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal level. The intersection of these levels of social dominance cause health disparities that perpetuate gaps between populations. This study explored one community organizing group who is challenging social dominance by creating alternative social structures. The methods of this study included Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Arts Based Research (ABR) as ways to generate middle-range theorizing and attempt to …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership And Teacher Retention And Student Achievement, David Earl Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental quantitative study aimed to determine if servant leadership influenced teacher retention or student achievement and if teacher retention influenced student achievement. This study’s respondents were 145 middle and high school teachers within a contiguous rural region of the Southeastern United States. Survey responses were received and analyzed during the late summer of 2020. Three research questions guided this study: Does servant leadership [high, low] influence teacher retention intention; What is the effect of servant leadership [high, low] on student achievement by categorical population groups as identified by the GaDOE; and lastly, What is the effect of teacher retention …

Interrogating Racialized Scripts: Parents And Students Organized For Leading Educational Justice, Stefanie Iona Gurulé

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative critical case study portraiture examines several racialized scripts found in family engagement, educational leadership, and social justice literature regarding under-resourced parents and students of color as leaders for educational justice. These scripts, or dominant narratives, discuss racially-minoritized parents and students as deficient in character and culture. They also deem that educational leadership for social justice is too complex an issue for these parents and students to have any positive effect. Therefore they are viewed in the literature as being only passively active in their own education. Analyzing a successful and authentic parent and student activist organization that focused …

Improving The Quality Of Teaching: An Applied Research Study On Improving The Quality Of Teaching In Third-Grade Reading At Tigerville Elementary School, Valeree Ellis-Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This applied research study sought to improve the quality of teaching in third-grade reading at Tigerville Elementary School (TES). The need to improve the quality of teaching in third-grade reading was identified through Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR. 2017-2018) reading data and Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP 2017-2018) test data. This study used three elements providing instructional support for teachers building teaching capacity and improving student achievement to address the central issue of improving the quality of teaching in third-grade reading. The program utilized an action plan and a program evaluation design to address improving the …

Innovation Through Instructional Renovation: An Applied Research Study On Building Capacity Of Mathematics Teachers In Bark County Schools’ Excel Department, Lashonda Quina Ross-Ivory

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied research study was to build the capacity of middle school mathematics teachers to increase student achievement. The need to build the capacity of middle school mathematics teachers arose from the trend of low content and pedagogical knowledge exhibited by teachers throughout the department. This applied research study uses four elements individual collective and collaborative professional development as well as student achievement to build the capacity of middle school mathematics teachers and measure student achievement growth. A national screener surveys learning walk/focus group and interviews were used in the study. Using of the aforementioned elements and …

Increasing Teacher Retention: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Mentoring And Culture In The Abc County School District, Jimmy Holland Weeks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Experiences Of First-Generation Women From South-Central Appalachia Who Have Obtained Their Doctorate Degree In Educational Leadership, Teressa Ann Dobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the experiences of first-generation women from South-Central Appalachia who completed a doctorate degree in educational leadership (EdD). Research indicates that nearly one third of doctoral recipients reported being first-generation, and the majority of these students concentrated in certain academic areas such as education. Furthermore, the literature suggests that there is a strong correlation between educational achievement levels and family background as well as cultural and geographic factors. While the amount of literature on minority groups has increased over the past 20 years, literature on the people and culture of Appalachia is limited. When first-generation …

Examining Teacher Perceptions Of Leadership And Student Achievement In Kentucky Schools., Angela L. Newcomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership is crucial in schools, especially when implementing change. Research shows that leadership can have a positive effect, albeit indirect, on student achievement (Cheng, 1994; Heck, Larsen & Marcoulides, 1990; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; and Johnson, Livingston, Schwartz, & Slate, 2000). This indirect effect implies a need for teacher expertise and distributed leadership to increase teacher buy-in for reform movements in schools. Recent studies have attempted to tie leadership to student achievement (Heck, et al., 1990; Chen, 1994; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; Johnson, et al., 2000; Heck & Hallinger, 2009; Leithwood, Patten, & Jantzi, 2010; Supovitz, Sirinides, & May, 2010; …

An Exploratory Study Of The Strengths Of Islamic School Principals In California, Texas, New York, Florida, And Illinois, Syed Kamran Qadri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the focal point of the school, the principal’s leadership is integral to its effective functioning. This study used a self-assessment to analyze the self-identified strengths of principals in Islamic schools within the five most populated states in the United States (which also have the largest number of mosques) and the commonalities in those strengths based on (a) the enrollment of the school; (b) year school was established; (c) the gender of the principal; (d) the principal’s professional preparation, e.g., degree in education vs. other fields and years of experience; and (e) geographic location. While only a small amount of …

An Examination Of School Principals' Moral Reasoning And Decision-Making Along The Principalship Track And Across Years Of Experience, Trent Ling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research by Vitton & Wasonga (2009) and Strenth (2013) found public school K-12 principals struggling in the moral reasoning and decision-making measures of the second Defining Issues Test ("DIT-2"). In response to these studies, this research sought to collect, to examine, and to compare DIT-2 data for educational leaders at various stages of the principalship track in an effort to determine and/or to isolate the locus of principals' reported underperformance. The moral reasoning and decision-making of regular-education K-12 public school principals and assistant principals in Florida, and current master's degree students in educational leadership programs at a large public …

Principals’ Perceptions Of Successful Leadership, Gary L. Childers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this qualitative multiple case study were to determine the catalysts and pathways that caused principals to move from managers to effective leaders. Data were collected through a series of interviews with 4 principals who were selected through a purposeful sampling procedure. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes. Findings were presented for each theme within the context of reviewed literature.

National polls indicate that 6 out of every 10 of the nation’s schools need major changes or an overhaul. Can improving the skills of their leaders make a difference in …

Second-Order Change Leadership Behaviors Of Principals Of Urban Elementary Schools And Student Achievement In 2010, Janet Kearney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus on specific principal leadership behaviors that positively impact student achievement has become more and more pronounced since the inception of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Recently, researchers have begun to focus on a more dramatic type of change as a method for improving student achievement in schools. Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) conducted a meta-analysis of more than 5,000 studies and identified seven leadership behaviors that related to improved student achievement and were viewed as second-order in nature. In many cases, second-order change was needed (a) to accomplish the student achievement improvements necessary to attain …

The Impact Of Academic Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Performance Of Sophomore Students On The Florida Comprehensive Assessme, Margaret Mcmillen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the change in sophomore reading scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test after the implementation of an academic vocabulary program and the change in teacher knowledge and professional practice after a program of staff development in academic vocabulary. The purpose was to determine the impact of the professional development on student reading performance. The study analyzed student data from 2008 and 2009 gathered from the Florida Department of Education, and teacher data collected from a survey used as a pretest/posttest. Variables used in the analysis of student data included demographic subgroups of white, African-American, and Hispanic students …

Elementary School Student Achievement: An Analysis Of School Size And Student Achievement, Natalie Odom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student achievement is the cornerstone of educational intuitions. Having a comprehensive understanding of what factors into having a successful student achievement rate requires the use of previous research and analyzing of historical accounts. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in student achievement when elementary school size was a factor. The analysis of the results offered beneficial information pertaining to Florida's public schools while providing a stepping stone towards future research. The results of this study and subsequent studies can provide information and guidance to decision makers regarding school size relative to student achievement. …

Job Satisfaction Determinants Of Certificated Staff In The Xyz School District, Grant Edward Schmidt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Job satisfaction is closely related to motivation theory. Many factors influence human motivation. For example, employee performance is greatly influenced by the expectancy of what the job will provide, the employees attitude toward personal achievement and advancement, and their wish for harmony in the workplace (Bittel, 1990). The amount of opportunity people see in their jobs also has a direct relationship to their job performance (Hill, 1979). Motivation can be provided by allowing employees to participate in the goal-setting activities (Catt, 1989). Motivators, such as sick leave, medical/ dental plans, and holiday pay are best enjoyed by the employees when …

Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Florida School Principals Regarding Federal And State Accountability Measures, John Mccullers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how self-efficacy beliefs, a central construct of social cognitive theory, might be used to inform educational leadership and policy decisions related to school accountability measures. A survey of 112 principals in Florida was used to investigate the degree to which principals believed the goals of federal and state school accountability measures (the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Florida School Grades Plan) were actually attainable, and to what degree they believed their leadership actually helped achieve these goals. A large majority (83.8%) of respondents believed the state goals to be attainable, whereas only a …

Strengths And Talents Of Potential Administrators In Orange County Public Schools, Florida, Arthur Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increased demands on principals and a shortage of qualified, acceptable candidates, school districts that have to replace principals are in a difficult position. These factors, combined with the importance that the principal role has in relation to student achievement, make the identification of potential administrators and the hiring process for new administrators a top priority for all school districts. This study answered the following two major questions; a) what characteristics or talents, as identified by the StrengthsFinder profile, did Orange County Public School principals in 2007 look for in identifying potential school administrators and b) what differences, if …

Educational Vision In Florida School Districts: Vision Alignment And Leadership Style, Cindy Sikkenga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to address a gap in the organizational leadership research related to the sharing, or alignment, of leadership vision across organizational levels, with a focus on educational vision alignment in Florida K-12 public school districts. The study also sought to determine to what extent, if any, there were differences among Florida school districts exhibiting different levels of educational vision alignment. The broad question addressed by the current research was this: To what degree are the educational visions of superintendents and principals aligned within Florida K-12 public school districts? The following research questions further guided the …

Transparent Templates Of Principals, Mary Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploration of the personal constructs of principals was intended to reveal the transparent templates they create and attempt to fit over the realities of their world. This study sought to go beyond externally imposed descriptions of the leadership behavior of principals by exploring their personal constructs to discover the meaning that principals ascribe to their leadership behavior in anticipation and interpretation of events. Kelly's (1955) personal construct theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions were addressed through qualitative inquiry. Data were collected in a process that began with full context elicitation, laddering, and triadic analysis, …

Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators Of The Organizational Supports For Inclusion Programs In Southwest Florida Elementary Schools, Brian Douglas Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The success of exceptional student education, although dependent upon the teachers involved, is largely made possible both by the role the school principal performs and the organizational support provided by the school district. The primary purpose of this study was to identify the sources and components of organizational support required to implement the inclusion of students with disabilities into general education classrooms. The provision of resources by administrators, particularly the building principal, is an example of an organizational support that helps students with disabilities learn successfully in this setting. These resources include funding, special curricula, adaptive technology, organizational resources such …