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Full-Text Articles in Educational Leadership

Professor-Student Relationships And The Perceived Influence On Motivation To Persist In Undergraduate Students: A Phenomenological Study, Tammy S. Hogan Dec 2020

Professor-Student Relationships And The Perceived Influence On Motivation To Persist In Undergraduate Students: A Phenomenological Study, Tammy S. Hogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Undergraduate students leaving their chosen field of study due to a lack of positive relationships between faculty and students is increasing at an alarming rate. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe how undergraduate college students experience professor–student relationships and the influence of relationships on their motivation to persist in higher education. There is a significant amount of research examining the influence of relationships in the K–12 setting; however, research is lacking regarding the perceptions of college students and motivation to persist based on academic and social integration at the collegiate level. The theory guiding this study …


The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers' Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs On Classroom Management And Student Engagement, Laurie White Lee Dec 2020

The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers' Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs On Classroom Management And Student Engagement, Laurie White Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teaching as a profession is becoming more and more difficult. School districts are facing a teacher shortage, creating greater focus on recruitment and retention efforts. The majority of these efforts focus on novice teachers (within the first five years) providing support and assistance to help keep them in the classroom. Less effort is placed upon assisting the veteran teacher in maintaining effort in the classroom and avoiding burnout. Those who experience burnout or become disheartened show a reduction in effort negatively impacting student achievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between teacher passion and perseverance …


High School Education Professionals' Explanations Of The Impacts Of Military Stress On Military Dependent Students' Development, William John Buchleitner Iv Dec 2020

High School Education Professionals' Explanations Of The Impacts Of Military Stress On Military Dependent Students' Development, William John Buchleitner Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this explanatory case study is to understand how the military culture and inherent stress affect the development of military dependent high school children as explained by high school professionals. For this research, military stressors were identified as combat deployments, permanent change of stations, and living within a military household. The conceptual framework that influenced this research was the social cognitive theory as developed by Albert Bandura and Ronald Akers’ social learning theory, both of which explain how children learn from observing individuals and their environments. This study sought to answer the central research question: How do high …


A Nested-Case Study Investigating Distributed Leadership At The Middle School Level, Darrell M. Ashworth Nov 2020

A Nested-Case Study Investigating Distributed Leadership At The Middle School Level, Darrell M. Ashworth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this nested-case study was to discover the perceptions of middle school teachers regarding the influence of distributed leadership on the subject matter they teach in McCullough County, Tennessee. The central research question for the study was as follows: How do middle school teachers describe the aspects of distributed leadership they encounter? The theoretical framework for this study was distributed leadership theory. I conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 middle school teachers from five middle schools in McCullough County, Tennessee : 5 English teachers (ELA), 1 math teacher, 4 social studies teachers, and 4 science teachers. Additional data were …


A Phenomenological Study Of Abstinence Self-Efficacy Experiences Among Residential Servant Leaders With Substance Use Disorders, Scott J. Rancourt Nov 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of Abstinence Self-Efficacy Experiences Among Residential Servant Leaders With Substance Use Disorders, Scott J. Rancourt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the abstinence self-efficacy experiences of participants in a servant leadership program at a Christian residential therapeutic community. The central research question was: What are the lived, abstinence self-efficacy experiences of participants in a servant leadership program at a Christian residential therapeutic community? A purposeful sampling method was utilized to obtain 10 participants from the servant leadership program at the site. Two theories guided this study. The first is servant leadership theory, which focuses on the importance of passionately meeting the needs of others. The second is cognitive-behavior self-efficacy theory, which …


Gender Differences In Hispanic High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Leslie Marie Mcclammy Nov 2020

Gender Differences In Hispanic High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Leslie Marie Mcclammy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the difference in attitudes towards mathematics between male and female Hispanic students in a large Florida school system using the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI). This study is important because it studies a population that is underserved in the literature of mathematics pedagogy: the Hispanic high school student. The ATMI itself has mostly been used on college students. This is one of the earliest attempts to use it in a high school setting. Though the survey was available to all students in the cooperating schools, only surveys where the student self-identified as Hispanic were examined. The results …


Assistant Principals’ Leadership And Perceptions Of Their Roles: A Qualitative Case Study, Pheneik Baskett Nov 2020

Assistant Principals’ Leadership And Perceptions Of Their Roles: A Qualitative Case Study, Pheneik Baskett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand assistant principals’ (APs) leadership and perceptions of their roles. The study took place in a suburban school system located in the southeastern United States. The central research question asked, “How do assistant principals lead and perceive their role as APs?” The theory guiding this research was situational leadership theory as it demonstrated how leadership styles must be related to the needs of the constituents. Ambiguity and burnout were examined as factors that can impact APs’ leadership and their perceptions of leadership. The data for this case study were collected through …


A Mixed Methods Study Concerning Biblical Worldview Formation In Children And Adolescents Through Informal Learning By Parents And/Or Guardians, Joan Ellen Appleton Nov 2020

A Mixed Methods Study Concerning Biblical Worldview Formation In Children And Adolescents Through Informal Learning By Parents And/Or Guardians, Joan Ellen Appleton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Children and adolescents need spiritual nurturing and teaching to instill biblical worldview and to make possible the development of lifelong spiritual formation. Informal learning as an educational format is foundational to and provides an avenue by which to impart early biblical worldview formation for children and adolescents. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine and explore the knowledge and behaviors of informal learning of the study participants (parents and/or legal guardians) in five U.S. Southeast states to determine the relationship between informal learning and outcomes of biblical worldview formation in children and adolescents. The mixed …


The Perceptions Of Educators Concerning Self-Efficacy While Working In An Involuntary Enrollment Alternative School, Shaundeidra Bradford Nov 2020

The Perceptions Of Educators Concerning Self-Efficacy While Working In An Involuntary Enrollment Alternative School, Shaundeidra Bradford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the perceptions of 10 educators pertaining to their self-efficacy while working in an involuntary enrollment alternative school. The participants were secondary educators from an urban school district in the midwestern United States who served in varying capacities. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. This research investigated the impact of working in an involuntary enrollment alternative school on the self-efficacy of educators, based on Bandura’s four main sources of self-efficacy (mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasion, and psychological states). The research question revolves around the theory of self-efficacy influencing …


The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Self-Efficacy Among Senior Citizen Students, Matthew Joseph Pranger Nov 2020

The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Self-Efficacy Among Senior Citizen Students, Matthew Joseph Pranger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Older adult students are at risk academically. The senior citizen population and average life expectancy are increasing globally, which results in an increased number of adults returning to school later in life. Sense of community is related to academic engagement, achievement, interactivity, and retention. Self-efficacy is related to motivation, learning, and academic performance. One gap in the literature is the relationship between sense of community and self-efficacy for senior citizen students. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine if there is a relationship between sense of community and self-efficacy among senior citizens recently enrolled in a college-level …


Me, We, And Thee: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Targeted Parent's Lived Experience, Teresa Marie Walters Oct 2020

Me, We, And Thee: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Targeted Parent's Lived Experience, Teresa Marie Walters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Parental alienation (PA) is an extreme form of couple conflict in which one parent (the alienating parent) attempts to damage or destroy the relationship of the child(ren) with the other parent (the targeted parent). Research on PA has principally been based on the 1980s model of Richard Gardner. Inquiry into the lived experience of the targeted parent has been sparse. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand better the lived experience of parental targeting and the role, if any, intergenerational patterns of marital conflict and social structure play in the formation of parental alienating behaviors as well …


The Lived Experience Of Evangelical Christian Homeschooling Fathers In Fulfilling The Biblical Role Of Disciple-Maker: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, William Robert Farrington Sep 2020

The Lived Experience Of Evangelical Christian Homeschooling Fathers In Fulfilling The Biblical Role Of Disciple-Maker: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, William Robert Farrington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of Evangelical Christian homeschooling fathers in discipling their children. The theological framework that guided this study was that of the biblical call to discipleship by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20, and how that calling applies to parenting. The theoretical framework that guided this study was the responsible fathering theory, as it focuses on the complex relationships between the father, the mother, the children, and contextual or outside influences. The central research question of the study was: How do Evangelical Christian homeschooling fathers describe the lived experience of …


Low Job Satisfaction As A Lived Experience For Veteran Middle School Teachers In Rural Tennessee: A Phenomenological Study, Shayla Carew Aug 2020

Low Job Satisfaction As A Lived Experience For Veteran Middle School Teachers In Rural Tennessee: A Phenomenological Study, Shayla Carew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of rural veteran middle school teachers in Tennessee with low job satisfaction. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (EST) was the theoretical framework guiding this study. EST is composed of five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. This study included participation from 10 veteran teachers with 5 or more years of experience who demonstrated low job satisfaction in Tennessee according to the results of a questionnaire given prior to conducting the study. The central research question guiding this study was, What are veteran middle school teachers’ …


Understanding What Contributes To The Persistence Of Teachers In Urban, Non-Fully Accredited Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Heather Marie Cobbs Aug 2020

Understanding What Contributes To The Persistence Of Teachers In Urban, Non-Fully Accredited Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Heather Marie Cobbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the persistence of veteran teachers in urban, non-fully accredited public schools in eastern Virginia. The central research question of the study asked, How do elementary and/or middle school veteran teachers describe their experiences in urban, non-fully accredited public schools? The sub-questions of the research study focused on teachers’ mindset, motivation, and environmental fit. The theories guiding this study were the mindset and motivation theory by Carol Dweck and the person–environment fit theory by John Holland, as these theories focus on an individual’s motivation to succeed and an individual being the correct …


Improving Perceptions Of School Climate In Low Income Schools: An Applied Study, Bethany Nicole Straub Aug 2020

Improving Perceptions Of School Climate In Low Income Schools: An Applied Study, Bethany Nicole Straub

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to further understand the problem of teachers’ perceptions of school climate in low income schools and to formulate a solution to address the problem using both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from teachers. The problem was that factors outside of the scope of control of teachers and administrators have the potential to affect school climate because teachers use multiple factors to gather and make a decision on their perception of their building’s school climate, and educators and researchers must understand these multiple facets in order to suggest improvement. In Chapter One, the researcher …


The Difference In The Sense Of Community Between Male And Female Students In An International School In Saudi Arabia, Leon Mcauthur Lee Ii Jul 2020

The Difference In The Sense Of Community Between Male And Female Students In An International School In Saudi Arabia, Leon Mcauthur Lee Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to examine and determine the difference in sense of community in female and male students in an international school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The independent variable in this study was the biological sex (male and female), and the dependent variable was their sense of community score. This quantitative research used sense of community theory developed by McMillan and Chavis as the foundation of the study. The researcher used a casual-comparative design to analyze the effects of the variables in the study. The students completed a Sense of Community Index (SCI-2) survey to provide the data for this …


The Effects Of Data-Driven Instructional Leadership On Student Achievement, Hayward Mark Chandler Jul 2020

The Effects Of Data-Driven Instructional Leadership On Student Achievement, Hayward Mark Chandler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Instructional leadership is key in reaching educational goals for students. Data-driven instructional leadership leveraged to improve teachers’ instructional practices provides opportunities for teachers to reflect, collaborate, and improve instructional practice. Data-driven leadership has been studied, but achievement results have not been a common topic. It is of value to understand the aspects of school leadership with causal nexus to student outcomes and what actions by leaders are associated with positive student outcomes. This study examined the achievement scores of four groups of schools (N= 81) in the state of New Mexico. The treatment groups leveraged data-driven practices, while the control …


A Case Study Evaluating The Effects Of Poverty In Secondary Education, Rachel Jean Smarr Jul 2020

A Case Study Evaluating The Effects Of Poverty In Secondary Education, Rachel Jean Smarr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study design was to understand how poverty impacts rural secondary education classrooms. Participants were a collection of educators and students that are involved in an impoverished area of West Virginia. The central phenomenon of poverty for educators working in the secondary school at a technical center was addressed. Student issues were also addressed through the circumstances educators face in the classroom. The theory guiding this study was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which depicts how foundational physical needs must be met in order to excel to higher levels of success. A collective case study was …


Examining The Relationship Between Multicultural Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy Among K-12 Teachers, Shalise Michelle Taylor Jul 2020

Examining The Relationship Between Multicultural Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy Among K-12 Teachers, Shalise Michelle Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple regression study was to examine the relationship between multicultural self-efficacy and culturally responsive classroom management self-efficacy (CRCMSE). In addition, the study examined if attitude toward diversity and experience with diversity are significant predictors of teachers’ sense of CRCMSE. The Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES) and CRCMSE Scale was distributed to a sample of K-12 public school teachers working in a large Virginia school division. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the relationship between the predictor variables (multicultural self-efficacy, attitude toward diversity, and experience with diversity) and the criterion variable (CRCMSE). Pearson R2 was calculated to …


Learning To Commit: Examining The Predictive Relationship Of Learning Culture Upon Employee Commitment, Timothy Russell Shives Jul 2020

Learning To Commit: Examining The Predictive Relationship Of Learning Culture Upon Employee Commitment, Timothy Russell Shives

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study investigated if a predictive relationship exists between an organization’s learning culture and organizational commitment. The research design for this quantitative study was three bivariate linear regressions as the statistical tool to test three null hypotheses (p <0.017). The predictor variable for this study were the organization’s learning culture scores, as measured by the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire-Abbreviated (DLOQ-A), and the criterion variables for this study was the organization’s employee commitment profile, comprising (1) affective commitment scores, (2) normative commitment scores, and (3) continuance commitment scores, as measured by the Revised Version of the Three Component Model (TCM) of the Employee Commitment Survey. The population for this study was a diverse, cross-functional employee workforce at a medium-sized, information technology-centered public-sector organization numbering 430 employees. Data collection occurred through asynchronous virtual interaction through web survey methodology during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 global pandemic. The results demonstrate a positive predictive relationship between learning culture scores and affective and normative commitment, respectively; and a negative predictive relationship between learning culture scores and continuance commitment. More research is needed to investigate other factors that may account for the remaining variability in predicting learning cultures and employee commitment. Furthermore, research needs to be done to explore how the learning organization impacts employee commitment.


How Women In Leadership Describe Their Rise To Leadership In Nigeria, Princess Chinyere Halliday Enyiukwu Jul 2020

How Women In Leadership Describe Their Rise To Leadership In Nigeria, Princess Chinyere Halliday Enyiukwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The significance of female marginalization and inclusion in leadership decision making has been increasingly a topic of deliberation. Women and men share typical characteristics such as knowledge, educational qualification, expertise, socioeconomic status, yet women are continuously marginalized. The bias that women face because of their gender is a lot more pronounced in countries where the traditional roles of the sexes are defined rigidly. Due to these strict gender roles, women find it hard to get to the positions of leadership in organizations. Gender discrimination against women in the workplace is a common issue that women around the world face. Leadership …


A Phenomenological Study Of Assistant Principals' Shared Experiences Of Restructuring In Virginia Schools, Lisa Whitmore Rath Jun 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of Assistant Principals' Shared Experiences Of Restructuring In Virginia Schools, Lisa Whitmore Rath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology study was to describe the experiences of assistant principals before, during, and after restructuring in Virginia. Restructuring is defined as the transition or movement from one setting to another. Schlossberg’s transitional theory was used as the theoretical framework for this study, answering the essential question: How do assistant principals describe their experiences associated with being restructuring? The sub-questions explored the experiences of the assistant principal before, during, and after the restructuring. Sub-questions inquired as to what the experiences were before the restructuring, during the restructuring, and after the restructuring occurred. The research design used …


The Relationship Between The Average Number Of Principal Walkthroughs And School Accountability Grade Of Florida High Schools, Robert Leslie Bennett Jun 2020

The Relationship Between The Average Number Of Principal Walkthroughs And School Accountability Grade Of Florida High Schools, Robert Leslie Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study sought to determine if the administrative time and financial investment in administrative walkthroughs is an effective practice that leads to improved student achievement. This study sought to determine if a predictive relationship existed between the predictor variable mean of principal school-wide walkthroughs, and the criterion variable school grade in Florida high schools. This study was designed to determine if the principal walkthrough is an effective tool to improve teaching practice to improve student achievement to meet accountability measures. The sample include 72 high school principals in Florida. Data was collected through a self-report survey in which …


Improving Student Attendance In Two Rural Mississippi Elementary Schools, Angela A. Bonner Jun 2020

Improving Student Attendance In Two Rural Mississippi Elementary Schools, Angela A. Bonner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of low student attendance for two elementary schools in southwest Mississippi by reviewing interventions designed to improve average daily attendance among elementary students. This study sought to review previous interventions and determine which initiatives worked to improve student attendance using qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods such as interviews and document analysis were conducted with staff and administrators who work within the school district, ensuring attendance regulations are being met. Their responses, along with a review of related literature, provided insights into recent initiatives undertaken to address attendance issues. …


Navigating The Personal And Professional Practices Of Social Media In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Investigation, John Ryan Dunne Jun 2020

Navigating The Personal And Professional Practices Of Social Media In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Investigation, John Ryan Dunne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the navigation of personal and professional social media practices as a lived experience for post-secondary education instructors in higher education. Correspondent inference theory was used to understand how observers assess behaviors that correspond with their own actions. The central research question focused on the lived experiences of post-secondary education instructors who utilized social media personally and professionally. Three research subquestions were more intensely focused on gaining a deeper understanding of (a) how post-secondary education instructors experience and comprehend the partition that separates personal and professional social media use, (b) how …


The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Job Satisfaction Among Urban Middle School Teachers, Paula Anita Murphy Jun 2020

The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Job Satisfaction Among Urban Middle School Teachers, Paula Anita Murphy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate the relationship between sense of community and job satisfaction among middle school teachers in an urban school district. This study is important because it helps to develop an understanding of how the cultivation of sense of community is related to job satisfaction and provides insight in middle school urban learning environments. This study examined the relationship between sense of community and job satisfaction where social interaction occurs in an educational setting. The theories guiding this research were McMillan and Chavis’ sense of community theory as it relates to sense of community …


A Multisite Case Study Of High-Performing Charter School Boards In Florida, Kristine Lynn Bennett Jun 2020

A Multisite Case Study Of High-Performing Charter School Boards In Florida, Kristine Lynn Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multisite case study was to describe the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards. Through description of the practices and behaviors of high-performing charter school boards, the impact of charter school board governance on charter school closures in Florida can be better understood. The theory guiding this study was Coleman’s social capital theory, suggesting that the social capital of members of an organization working towards a common goal through bridging and bonding results in productivity and a positive impact on the organization; in this case study, the organization was the charter school governing board. The …


A Case Study Exploring The Self-Disclosure Experiences Of Students With Psychiatric Impairments In An Online University Setting, Marcie Anne Dimač Jun 2020

A Case Study Exploring The Self-Disclosure Experiences Of Students With Psychiatric Impairments In An Online University Setting, Marcie Anne Dimač

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single case study was to explore the self-disclosure experiences of students with psychiatric disabilities in a fully online university setting. The theory guiding this study was the social model of disability as it focuses on the barriers imposed by society on students with disabilities as it pertains to self-efficacy, academic success, and the need to self-disclose. This case study asked the central question, “What can be learned from the self-disclosure experiences of students with psychiatric impairments?” Perspectives of students with psychiatric impairments, faculty, and disability support services professionals as it relates to the self-disclosure process and …


The Effects Of Rotational Blended Learning On Course Grades In High School Credit Recovery Math I And English I Courses, Jarrod S. Dennis Jun 2020

The Effects Of Rotational Blended Learning On Course Grades In High School Credit Recovery Math I And English I Courses, Jarrod S. Dennis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the increasing popularity of using online and blended technology to recover lost initial credit, there has been limited research as to the effectiveness of online only credit recovery models, and the effectiveness of blended learning models, especially in secondary public education. This study is important in that it analyzes which method of content delivery is most effective for a particular population. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if there were any statistical differences in the individual final numerical course grades of students taking online only credit recovery English I and Math I classes, and students taking …


The Relationship Between Academic Growth Percentiles And Student Perceptions Of School Climate Among Sixth Grade Students, Charles Heath Burch Jun 2020

The Relationship Between Academic Growth Percentiles And Student Perceptions Of School Climate Among Sixth Grade Students, Charles Heath Burch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational design seeks to determine if students’ academic growth during the sixth-grade transition can be predicted by school climate and school climate dimensions. The results of the study will allow leaders to provide targeted support in the areas of school climate that have the greatest impact. The study consists of 150 middle schools in the state of Georgia. The Georgia Student Health Survey was used to determine sixth-grade student perceptions of the school's climate. The Georgia Department of Education determined student academic growth through the Georgia Student Growth Model in the area of language arts at each middle …