Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Integration Of The Indigenous Knowledge Holders Council Into A Post-Secondary Education Tri-Cameral Governance Institution, Heather Mccagg-Nystrom

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The 2015 release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) final report documented the historical impact of Canadian Indigenous residential schools through 94 Calls to Action requiring redress. Supporting post-secondary institution (PSI) educational reconciliation, Calls to Action #62 appeals to incorporate Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) knowledge, philosophies and approaches into the post-secondary system which has historically been built on a Western colonial worldview. An arctic Canadian PSI (referred to by the pseudonym Big River College, BRC) has made reconciliation an institutional priority, as it aligns with BRC strategic, academic, and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) plans. Consequently, this …

In Search Of Belonging In A Grade 6-8 Public School In Western Canada, Jasbir Singh

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Systemic racism and oppressive practices within and outside British Columbia institutions are negatively impacting students’ sense of belonging in schools. The Metro School District (MSD, a pseudonym) and BC Ministry of Education (BCMoE) have responded with the district equity plan and the K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan, respectively, to address this issue. However, a gap remains between their goals and the current reality of creating inclusive school environments. Valley Middle School (VMS, a pseudonym) has seen instances of racism and exclusion affecting students and teachers from minoritized backgrounds, including myself as a Sikh, South Asian principal. My Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) focuses on …

Authentic And Unapologetic: Culturally Responsive Leadership Strategies Used By California Community College Senior-Level Leaders Of Color, Renee Craig-Marius

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how California Community College senior-level leaders of color are culturally responsive in their leadership strategies, based on Horsford, Grosland, and Gunn’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework.

Methodology: This qualitative ethnographic study identified and described the culturally responsive leadership practices utilized by 15 senior-level leaders of color within California Community Colleges and explored how their lived experiences and identities influence their ability to lead their institutions using the four dimensions of Horsford et al.’s (2011) culturally relevant leadership framework: political context, personal journey, pedagogical approach, and professional duty. …

School Leadership And Student Engagement In Core French, Gloria Nwadinma Emenogu

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) examines the problem of lack of student engagement in core French classes and how school leadership, defined as the school administration and core French teachers, can lead to improved student engagement in core French. Student engagement is described as students’ attitudes to a course, readiness to exact themselves to task, and willingness to participate in class and complete assignments. The OIP further discusses in greater detail what engagement looks and feels like in the junior and intermediate grades of a K-8 elementary school in Ontario, Resilience Junior Middle School (RJMS). With the understanding that …

Modeling Shared Governance At The School And Department Level, Charles Harrington, Martin Slann

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The article explores social capital and culturally responsive leadership theories as a means to understand and bridge differences that arise in diverse educational settings for public school leaders. Issues explored include those related to the educational histories and cultural heritages that students and stakeholders bring with them to the educational setting. More specifically, the article illuminates how the merging of social capital and culturally responsive leadership theories as a conceptual framework for leadership can lead to not only student achievement, but also positive social networking and relationships among school leaders, teachers, and students. Emphasis is placed on the notion that …