Education Commons^™

Effects Of Teaching Argument To First-Year Community-College Students Using A Structural And Dialectical Approach, Sharon Radcliff

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure to what extent an experimental method of teaching argument incorporating elements from both Toulmin’s (2004) structural approach and Walton’s (2013) dialectical approach effects first-year college students’ ability to write strong arguments. This experimental instruction used critical questioning as a strategy in building a strong argument, incorporating alternative viewpoints, and creating a dialogue between claims and counterclaims, backed logically by verifiable evidence from reliable sources.

Using the Analytic Scoring Rubric of Argumentative Writing (ASRAW; Stapleton & Wu, 2015) that includes the argument elements of claims, data, counterclaim, counterclaim data, rebuttal claim, and rebuttal …

Fifty Years Of Underrepresented Student Advocacy At One Jesuit Secondary School, Sonya Cotero Arriola

Doctoral Dissertations

Across the United States Conference, Catholic and Jesuit secondary schools are experiencing tremendous change in their student demographics. Schools of today are being challenged to consider what true inclusion looks like within their community vis-à-vis students whose racial, economic, sexual and gender identities do not fit the traditional Catholic or Jesuit school mold. The racial and social order of the United States is replicated within Catholic and Jesuit schools, even when those same communities claim to promote values of inclusion and opportunity. History offers valuable insights to school communities grappling with these questions.

This qualitative study centers the efforts of …

Replanting A Wild Seed: Black Women School Leaders Subverting Ideological Lynching, Whitneé Louise Garrett-Walker

Doctoral Dissertations

Much race-based educational research is focused on teachers interrupting systems ofoppression in their classrooms, through methods such as curriculum and instruction, and preparing students to engage in the world (Alston, 2012; Bertrand & Rodela, 2017; Carpenter & Diem, 2013; Gooden & Dantley, 2012; Furman, 2012). I intentionally focus my attention on school leadership because while all stakeholders are responsible for maintaining school culture, as school leaders it is our responsibility to create conditions where the work of enacting social justice is expected in our schools. There continues to be a gap in educational research that deeply examines this level of …

Women Who Lead: A Feminist Phenomenology Of Crisis Leadership In Higher Education, Ingrid Helene Mcvanner

Doctoral Dissertations

The landscape of higher education is rife with crisis events, ranging from the global COVID-19 pandemic to natural disasters and institutional and industry-wide scandals; yet, most institutions of higher education are unprepared to tackle these crises as they arrive. As an industry, higher education is also largely dominated by men at its upper echelons, despite being a field that is predominantly staffed by women. Amidst the backdrop of the attention COVID-19 has brought to female world leaders and the quest for parity in higher education leadership positions, this study sought to explore the lived experiences of women leaders in higher …

Incorporating Critical Perspectives In Nonprofit Management Education Programs: How Critical Scholars Of Color Navigate Pressures In Higher Education, Khanh H. Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations

The nonprofit sector has grown from a few charities, based on religious affiliation, to a multi-billion-dollar sector that supports the United States of America’s economic stability. As a result, the need for nonprofit management education has increased over the last three decades from 1990 to 2019 (O’Neill, 2005; Mirabella, 2014). However, most of the classes taught in nonprofit programs across the US focus on the transactional aspect of nonprofit leadership (Mirabella, 2014; Wang & Ashcraft, 2012). The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the ways critical perspectives are engaged within nonprofit management education programs by …

“Give Them A Firm Handshake, Look Them In The Eye, Try To Make A Connection”: Critical Graduate Perspectives On School Advancement Practices Of De Marillac Academy, Alicia M. Tapia

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation engages graduates of De Marillac Academy, a NativityMiguel school in San Francisco, in critical inquiry regarding school advancement practices. Graduates were asked how they participated in school advancement practices face-to-face with guests and donors, through media, on-campus and off-campus at their Annual Scholarship Benefit. Graduates engaged in photo and video elicitation interviews, in which photos and videos were used to spark commentary regarding their thoughts and experiences in advancement settings. As Catholic school educators, we are called to investigate the effects of a student’s formal and hidden curriculum in all aspects of their educational experience. This study found …

Borderlands Of Teenage Mothering: Life Stories Of Latinx Teen Mothers From A Critical Feminist Perspective, Ashley Burciaga

Doctoral Dissertations

Borderlands of Teenage Mothering: Life Stories of Latinx Teen Mothers from a Critical Feminist Perspective Rather than trying to understand and support teenage mothers, society has stigmatized and marginalized them, even more so for women of color. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of teenage mothers of color as they reflected back on their teenage years in school, at home, and in their communities. Participants were asked to photograph people, places, and things that reminded them of their time as a teen mom. Open-ended semi-structured interview questions along with photo elicitation were implemented to support the …

Mission Enactment And Strategic Enrollment Management At Jesuit Universities, Drew Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations

The larger neoliberal environment that is driving all of higher education has left Jesuit universities and their leadership to face two problems. First, the ability for Jesuit universities to uphold their social justice inspired mission and offer an affordable and accessible liberal education is being threatened because they are pricing out those they seek to serve. Second, there is a growing disconnect between the espoused mission of Jesuit universities and the decisions that their leaders and administrators make to run the enterprise.

This explanatory case study seeks to understand the ways senior-level strategic enrollment officers at Jesuit universities experience and …

Mentoring And Academic Advising Experiences Of Female Ph.D. Students With Children: A Qualitative Study, Alyssa Ferree

Doctoral Dissertations

Ph.D. student mothers often face challenges when balancing their academic obligations and family responsibilities. For students with children, there is a correlation between increased family obligations and decreased productivity (Brus, 2006; Maher, Ford, & Thompson, 2004; Lynch, 2008), but academic, social, and financial support can positively impact satisfaction and progress in the Ph.D. program. Faculty advisors play a crucial role in the Ph.D. experience and can positively or negatively impact a student’s experience and productivity. The purpose of this study was to explore the academic advising and mentoring experiences of female Ph.D. students with children. This qualitative study included ten …

Unlocking Creative Potential: Catholic Elementary School Principal Perceptions Of Creativity, Kellie Scherer

Doctoral Dissertations

Church documents and scholars affirm that traditional pedagogies are ineffective in preparing students for the demands of the 21st century (CCE, 2014, p. 13, Darling-Hammond, 2010; Hartley, 2003; Kampylis, 2010; Skiba, Tan, Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2010). A review of the literature revealed that a gap in research on the Catholic elementary school principal’s understanding of and commitment to creativity exists. Even teachers who value creativity cannot fully support its development in the classroom without proper training. Continuing education coordinated by principals is one of the few opportunities for teachers to identify and confront their creativity misconceptions. The purpose of this …

Exploring The Relationship Between Students' Perceptions Of The Jesuit Charism And Students' Moral Judgement, Scott Swenson

Doctoral Dissertations

Jesuit education has long focused on developing leaders of conscience, competence, and compassion. There is a gap in the literature examining if aspects of the Jesuit charism influence moral development. The Ignatian Identity Survey (IGNIS), and the Defining Issues Test – 2 (DIT-2), were administered to seniors at an all-male Jesuit high school. The IGNIS was used to explore students’ perceptions of five aspects of the Jesuit charism: 1) Openness to growth and educational excellence (OGEE), 2) Religious education and formation (REF), 3) Collaboration (COL), 4) Faith and justice (F&J), and 5) Active Reflection (AR). The DIT-2 was used to …

Perceptions Of Primary School Principals In Singapore About Their Role As Justice Agents, Kit Wah Antonia Teng

Doctoral Dissertations

Justice in school is central to both the Catholic church and the government of Singapore. Both institutions have expectations of principals as justice agents to serve the needs of every student by means of equality and equity in educational provision to all students. There is limited research on how principals of Catholic and government primary schools in Singapore perceive their role as justice agents and how they fulfill this expectation.

This qualitative research examined the experiences of primary school principals in Singapore in their enactment of educational leadership for justice. Of the 10 principals interviewed, 4 were principals of Catholic …

Access Without Equity: Institutional Logics Of University Middle Managers And Valuing Diversity, Emerald Templeton

Doctoral Dissertations

Institutional barriers to Black student success (e.g. a history of exclusion, inaccessibility, and inequity) that exist at the undergraduate level, persist at the graduate level. Though traditionally marginally students have gained access to predominantly and historically White colleges and universities, Black graduate students continue to be marginalized by institutionalized oppression and inequitable structures. When the values, attitudes, and beliefs of individual actors who serve these students are at odds with an institutional mission of equity and inclusion, misalignment and competing priorities emerge. This study seeks to understand the logics university middle managers use in operationalizing equity and inclusion, specifically, in …

Experiences Of Women Stem Professors Who Are Considering Leadership Positions At Research Universities, Cheri Liebow

Doctoral Dissertations

Empirical evidence is needed to discern the reasons for inequities among those with doctorates hired in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. It is necessary to create a successful and motivational atmosphere for various types of female leaders who are seeking opportunities to become leaders, especially in STEM fields. This qualitative-method study used an exploratory design. The study first sought to gather information about female STEM professors’ experiences through open-ended qualitative interviews to explain gaps in details of women’s experiences as professors in STEM departments of universities. Second, the researcher sought to discern common themes in interview responses for …

More Than A Silhouette: African American Women’S Graduate Student Experience, Bridget Holly Love

Doctoral Dissertations

African American women have been silhouetted. They have been reduced to a one dimensional version of themselves and defined by societies White – male hegemonic background. Currently, limited research exists on the experiences of African American (AA) women graduate students from an Afrocentric perspective. Despite the increase enrollment of AA women in higher education, barriers to degree completion still persist as evidenced by the lower rates of graduation. The lack of AA women in higher education demonstrates that the literature holds a minority position not unlike that of AA women in society. Subsequently, the accomplishments, challenges and overall experiences of …

Testimonios Of Latino/A Students In Hispanic Serving Institutions: Lessons For Community Colleges, Luz Briceno Moreno

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted at a Northern California community college with eight Latino/a student’s and the utilization of their testimonios to bring awareness to their academic experiences, successes and needs as first-generation college students. A large majority of Latino/a students who do enroll in college begin at community colleges, this stands to be the first point of entry into higher education for current and future Latino/a student’s (Santiago & Stettner, 2013). Community colleges graduating mostly vocationally trained Latino/a student’s continue to feed into a history of limited educational and societal mobility, which is vastly different from the white students …

Factors And Characteristics Of Alumni Role Identity: Implications For Practice In Higher Education Fundraising And Alumni Relations, Jay Le Roux Dillon

Doctoral Dissertations

Now more than ever, colleges and universities are relying on funds raised from alumni to support their operations. At the same time, the percentage of alumni donors is in decline and new research suggests that higher education fundraising strategies are overly reliant on alumni behaviors and demographics as predictors of giving. A 2011 study by McDearmon addressed this issue by establishing a psychometric measure of a graduate’s self-identification with his or her role as an alumnus/a, dubbed “alumni role identity.” Based in role identity theory (Stryker 1968, 1980; Callero, 1985), McDearmon’s research demonstrated that alumni role identity was associated positively …

Ready To Lead? An Examination Of The Alignment Of California Preservice School Leaders’ Fieldwork Experiences With State Leadership Standards, Sandie Stringfellow

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored how three preservice school leaders (PSLs) in California spent their time during their fieldwork for their school-leader-preparation programs and if they were gaining experience in all of the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL). Specifically, my dissertation examined the use of a daily log (Project Reflect), a custom-built web-based application that is designed to serve as an easy-to-use measure of preservice-school-leader practice. The application was accessed from Internet-connected devices and logged time spent in practical situations in each of the CPSEL. This exploratory case study was conducted with three preservice school leaders in the San Francisco …

Exploring The Leadership Practices Of National Catholic Educational Association Distinguished Catholic Elementary School Principals And Defining The Leadership Needed To Survive The 21st Century Challenges, Natalie Ann Cirigliano

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the life experiences (personal and educational) of eight distinguished elementary Catholic school principals formally recognized by NCEA through its Distinguished Principal Award. The study sought to identify their leadership practices and how they were demonstrated in their roles as educational leaders, spiritual leaders, and managerial leaders. Additionally, this study sought to identify the major 21st century challenges that the eight NCEA- Identified Distinguished Catholic Elementary School Principals faced and how they addressed them.

This case study included eight participants from eight different (arch)dioceses over seven states. Each principal participant completed an initial …

The Adjustment Of First Year African American Women To Predominately White Institutions: Implications For Best Practices, Maisha Beasley

Doctoral Dissertations

Currently, both scholarly literature and educational practice are lacking depth and scope about the lived experience of African American (AA) female students, and, as a result, they lack effectiveness for this population of students. In particular, they do not address the varying ways AA female students adjust to the university during their first year, the most critical year for student retention and persistence in the college experience (Pike & Kuh, 2005), nor do they recognize how intersectionalities of identities in AA women are salient to successes and challenges at PWIs. This study addresses this gap in the research by not …

Voices Of Female, Rural Superintendents As They Implement California's Local Control Funding Formula Policy, Claudia Coughran

Doctoral Dissertations

Improving American schools, and as a result, the educational leaders who guide and oversee American schools, has an historic background; yet research to accomplish the improvement is rooted in urban schools and male educational leaders, particularly the superintendent of schools. National and state leaders have used education policy as a means to improve student achievement for decades. California played a pivotal roll in the national trend for numerous years; most recently with the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) policy passed in 2013. The purpose of this study was to listen to the voices of female, rural superintendents as they implemented …

The Perceived Influence Of Lasallian Mission Formation Programs On Participants From The District Of San Francisco New Orleans, Gary Cannon

Doctoral Dissertations

The Perceived Influence of Lasallian Mission Formation Programs on Participants from the District of San Francisco New Orleans

The mission of Catholic education involves the faith formation and the integral human development of individuals (Second Vatican Council, 1965a). The Catholic Church recognizes that the realization of this two-fold mission, religious and academic, is primarily dependent upon school faculty and staff. The De La Salle Christian Brothers have made mission formation of faculty and staff one of their principal aims. Within the United States, they provide a variety of Regional and District formation programs to assist their faculty and staff advance …

San Francisco Bay Area School Districts Contracted With California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) And The Impact Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act Of 2010, Michael David Blanco

Doctoral Dissertations

San Francisco Bay Area school districts contracted with California Public Employees’ Retirement system (CalPERS) and the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

This qualitative study examined the impact of high cost CalPERS medical plans on the participant’s school district in regards to the 2020 Cadillac Tax, the types of administrative action the participants have taken to comply with the mandated reporting to the IRS, and the types of administrative measures the participants have taken to comply with the offer of coverage to employees working a minimum of 30 hours per week. The theoretical framework used …

The Experience Of Principals At Catholic Schools Implementing A Pranayama Practice For Stress Coping, Scott Roos

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored and documented the experiences of Catholic School principals in Northern California who implemented a one-month pranayama (yoga breathing) practice to help reduce their stress. The participants, four men and three women, were primary and secondary school principals at Catholic schools, including both diocesan and independent Catholic schools. This study utilized an embedded mixed methods design in which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently. Participants were asked to practice Ujjayi pranayama for eight minutes a session four times per day. Participants took the Administrator Stress Index and Perceived Stress Scale at the start of the intervention …

Design Thinking In Education: A Case Study Following One School District's Approach To Innovation For The 21st Century, Loraine Rossi De Campos

Doctoral Dissertations

The latest reform movement in education, known as 21st-Century Learning, is in

response to the transition from a primarily industrial-based economy to a knowledge- based one. 21st-Century Learning demands that educational organizations become more receptive to societal changes and provide educational services that can make the contributions needed to sustain our economic position in the world.

The purpose of this dissertation study was to understand how design thinking supports the implementation of 21st-Century Learning within a school district. Moreover, this project was designed to capture and understand how the strategic integration of design thinking, in the form of a District …

The Effects Of A Varied Method Of Instruction On Student Achievement, Transfer, Situational Interest, And Course Retention Rates In Community College Developmental Mathematics, Kevin L. Mccandless

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the effects of a varied method of instruction on student achievement, knowledge transfer, situational interest, and course retention rates, relative to a non-varied method of instruction, in community college developmental mathematics. The varied method of instruction consisted of active learning teaching practices with foundations in social constructivism, whereas the non-varied method of instruction was founded in Cognitive Load Theory and consisted primarily of explicit instruction and individual practice.

An initial sample of 139 students who enrolled in six sections of Beginning Algebra at an urban community college in Northern California participated …

The Effects Of Explicit Listening Strategy Instruction On The Listening Comprehension Of English As Second Language (Esl) Community College Students, Yi Guan

Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored the effects of explicit listening strategy instruction on the beginning-level ESL learner's listening comprehension at a community college in Northern California. Most previous studies measured the effectiveness of listening strategy instruction by comparing students' test scores, but little research explored the students' listening strategy development and their perceptions of the strategy instruction. Furthermore, no prior research exists on the effects of listening strategy instruction among community college students.

The researcher employed the concurrent triangulation approach, collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. Data sources included interviews, a listening test, background surveys, and classroom …

"My Gut Has To Feel It": A Participatory Action Research Study Of Community College Educators Navigating The Emotional Terrain Of Human Rights Education, Lindsay Padilla

Doctoral Dissertations

Informed by feminist theories of emotion and the concept of critical emotional praxis, this PAR study highlights the emotional terrain of four Northern California community college teachers who teach human rights. The following meta-question guided this research: "Given the role of emotions in challenging injustice, as well as in engaging in personal and societal change, what role do emotions play when teaching in a community college?" Data sources included journals, monthly meetings, final reflection narratives, and exit interviews, which were culled for emergent themes. The findings indicate that the co-researchers in this study experienced emotional ambivalence (the simultaneous experience of …

An Investigation Of First-Year Teacher Induction Programs In Jesuit Secondary Schools Within The California Province, Justin James Dixon Christensen

Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed methods study invited principals (n=5) and first-year teachers (n=25) in five Jesuit secondary schools in the California Province to participate. Online surveys and follow-up online interviews were designed to assess the degree to which the schools met 11 standards that constituted the conceptual framework for the study: (a)Program vision, goals, and institutional commitment, (b)Formation of the Ignatian educator, (c)Program administration and communication, (d)Principal engagement, (e)Program assessment, evaluation, and accountability, (f)Assessing first-year teacher practice, (g)First-year teacher professional development and learning communities, (h)Mentor role and responsibilities, selection, assignment, and assessment, (i)Mentor professional development and learning communities, (j)Focus on instructional practice, …

Ownership, Control, Sponsorship, And Trusteeship: Governance Relationships Within Private Catholic Religious-Sponsored Secondary Schools In The United States, David Louis Caretti

Doctoral Dissertations

The governance of private Catholic religious-sponsored secondary institutions in the United States is wholly unique, for many different influences distinguish these institutions from not only their public counterparts but also other Catholic schools operated by a diocese or parish. In the face of the changes of the post-Vatican II era, including the diminishing numbers of religious brothers, sisters, and priests available to minister within their respective apostolates, religious congregations have employed one particular governance construct, the board of limited-jurisdiction, originally created within the Catholic university and healthcare realms. Thus, while such boards hold the chief role in directing the progress …